Space 2099
by JR.sgt
Summary: A new twist on an old childhood favorite.
1. Chapter 1

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**Space 2099**

Breakaway

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Cause and unseen effect.

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The five crew dismounts from the 50-ton behemoth as its rear cargo bed opens exposing what at first glance would be confused with a large telescope. The dark long cylinder traverses as it rises pointing toward the stars above. The five are wearing civilian spacesuits and each is performing a specific task around the vehicle.

Ones open boxes with instrumentation others pull cables from the land transport and connect them to the boxes. Then one of the crew jumps into the cargo bed and stands in front of a console turning on the different screens.

Last it is the central screen showing a digital map of the Moon with different dots moving about. Each dot has a small window showing what class of vehicle, heading, and altitude as the speed. "The flight 425 from the Kepler crater is at range. Is the cable connected?"

"Is that from the lunar hotel?"

"Yes, is the cable connected?"

"It is but there is no power until, one minute."

"They are always on time. Don't forget the regulator."

"All is connected." One other astronaut goes to say over the comm-link. "Thirty seconds for the power, remember this is the first time we are doing this. The boss doesn't want screw-ups. Twenty seconds!"

"All systems are ready." Then suddenly the energy regulator box commences smoking. The closest astronaut to it turns to see the electrical fire melt the box. "They started early! Shot it off, shot…" He could not complete his sentence when the telescopic apparatus explodes as if a tactical nuclear warhead went off.

Several miles out overlooking the explosion a woman is standing next to a personal L.R.V. She throws her scanning binoculars to the ground in anger. She raises her right forearm and with the left-hand touches the screen-pad on the suit forearm and says. "Open a call to 857."

"Natasha, how it went?"

"Boss, either the Holdium was impure, or they started early from the site."

"What happen?"

"It blew up. All that is left is a crater."

"Dammed, okay… we still have the second one. I will cover all up from my end, and you return to Tranquillitatis."

"Yes sir." Natasha leaves the hill heading toward the main road. But if she would have stayed for just one more minute, she would have seen a strange glow of light coming from the recently formed crater. It lifts from the ground like a swirling mist and then the peculiar apparition moves rapidly toward the lunar installation in the distance.

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The new arrival

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One hundred and thirty years after Neil Armstrong set foot on Earth's only natural satellite, the Moon it is now populated by 200,000 humans. Over 200 bases and mining sites cover the Moon surface with two major space stations in orbit thus creating the most complex living and work system ever built by humans. All interconnected by an arrangement of communications, roads and flight corridors to serve the lunar dwellers.

All is managed from the largest and newest base, Alpha Moon Base. The International Lunar treaty was signed after the first Mars landing. The agreement recognizes the Moon as the continent of Antarctica has been, an international soil. Only inside the confines of each base, national authority is recognized. However, the International Lunar Organization can enforce laws, rules, and regulations inside all installations as on the use of equipment own by the different countries on or in orbit of the Moon. Alpha Moonbase was created as the primary center for the lunar community to assist in scientific as commercial endeavors on the Moon.

One of the major undertakes on the Moon is the construction of the equatorial lunar super-collider. The E-collider has been under construction for the past five years at the same time Alpha Moonbase, although Alpha base has been fully operational for two years.

Every year as per the International Lunar treaty, a new base commander takes over exercising executive powers on the Moon. The new commander is not new to massive endeavors as managing an intricate political behemoth as it is found on the Moon.

John Koenig is the first man to set foot on Mars and later became a Senator in the U.S. Congress. However, his first calling is space exploration something that motivated him to join the U.S. Air Force and with the rank of Colonel arrived on Mars obtaining the historical status of Neil Armstrong or Edwin (Buzz) Aldrin.

When Koenig received the proposal for the commander's seat of Moon Base Alpha chair, he declined an offer from his party to run as Vice-President of the United States and left Congress at the end of his second term. He said in a televised interview, "Space calls me once more."

Now he is on transit between Moon Space Station Antares and Alpha Moonbase. As he seats comfortably in one of the newer versions of the Eagle space/atmospheric craft, he converses with the Chairwoman of the International Lunar Organization Margaret Simmons, John's Boss.

"John, we have invested Trillions of international credits on the equatorial super-collider. The inauguration has to continue on schedule."

John reviews information on his pad and goes on to say. "Margaret, did anyone have reached a more conclusive explanation on this illness?"

"Not since this started two weeks ago. All we know is that two commercials flights one from Tranquility to Nectaris and a second from Humrum to Copernicus base both arrived at their destinations by remote emergency control and the crew as passengers were unconscious. We have several reports of land cargo transport were the drivers had shown the same symptoms."

"The land transports, were on the same highway at the same time?"

"No. The two flights as the transports were at different points on the Moon as in different times."

"No solar flares and no other space anomalies… um? Could this be accumulative on the vehicles?"

"I don't follow you, John?"

"The vehicles themselves, could they have traveled on, near or over any of the depots?"

"Do you mean ionizing radiation?"

"Yes."

"None traveled near or over the Gagarin crater."

"But the illness is by a radiant source. What about magnetic anomalies?"

"John, you know the Moon does not even have a decent magnetic field, and the patients were checked for the full spectrum, microwaves, ionization radiation, magnetic… heck, even radio signals."

"Is not biological, chemical but all points to a radiant source of energy but none is found."

"Victor is inclined toward a radioactive source, but nothing is conclusive. John, what I want you to do is to get acquainted with your new assignment and be at the inauguration of the super-collider."

"And all this you just drop on my lap?"

"All will stay under wraps until a solution it is found and what is causing all this. On the Moon, it is only you, Commander Gorski the Chief Medical Officer Helena Russell and of course Victor Bergman that know about this."

"Victor was my senior scientific officer on Mars One. I know Gorski since the Mars One project, but I never heard of Dr. Russell."

"She came with high recommendations from the W.H.O, and she is by the book."

"What explanation has been given to the families of the victims?"

"Different and reasonable explanations have been given. All are around malfunctioning environmental equipment or structure failure leaking atmosphere from the vehicles."

"Oxygen deprivation? The pictures of the victims don't look like the classic symptoms. Look at their eyes."

"That is all we can give. I might drop by and be in the ceremony. I have to go."

"I hope to see you in next Sunday." Margaret gently lifts all the documents on her desk and shows them to John both smile, and she says as she puts them down. "I will try to take care of all this in the next five days, and I am sure your desk will look like mine soon… Commander Koenig."

"I have to change that title of the commander to something more civilian. We will talk later."

"Have fun." The view vanishes from the screen showing the local lunar news channel. John can finally finish his breakfast as he looks at the E-Pad with the relevant information on the mysterious illness.

Once finished, he slowly stands and moves forward to the flight deck section. He opens the first door of the passenger to see the cockpit door is open, and he walks in.

"Alan, what if I wanted to highjack this Eagle?"

"Colonel, you know the flight computer would not let you."

"Alan, drop the Colonel. I am a civilian."

"Okay, or maybe, Senator or Mr. Vice-President?" John smiles as he looks at the instruments. Both men served in their respective Air Forces, and eventually, in their military careers they end up in the same multi-national flight squadron under the U.N, John was commanding officer and Alan the executive officer.

John continued into the arms of NASA. While Alan retired from the Australian Air Force as a Colonel, then he joins the test pilot program for the International Lunar Organization. It is well known that Alan Carter is the pilot with the most flight hours in space especially with the Eagles class spacecraft.

Now Alan is the Senior Chief Pilot of Moon Base Alpha. The co-pilot U.S Navy Ensign Bill Fraser looks at John and asks. "Sir, what do you think of the Eagles 3's?"

"It beats the ones I flew in my day. On Mars one, our mainframe took a whole room and here you have the same computing power under your dashboard." Alan goes to say. "Sir, the computer is all around us. Nano-quantum, bio-computers the size of a plank, quadrillions of them attached in every square foot of the inner hull."

Bill goes to say. "A plank? What, now we are pirates?" John shakes his head as he smiles, looks at Alan and the senior pilot says. "Sorry, sir. I think they stop giving physics in flight school or grade school."

"Hey, what gives boss-man? We had plenty of planks setting around my dad's ranch." John goes to say. "Bill, a plank is a measurement used in physics. The smallest measurement there is."

Alan turns his attention to the communications, and he says. "Alpha flight control, this is Eagle One on approach 255, five thousand feet."

"Copy, Eagle one. Welcome to Alpha's flight control net. It is 0600 hours. You are clear of traffic you can commence your approach to landing pad one."

"Copy you, A.F.C. starting my approach."

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Old things never die.

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Mark was a 20 years old veteran in the coal mining industry. He is working for one of the founding companies of the lunar colonization movement, Elements international based in Kentucky U.S.A. Mark is the day shift supervisor of mine 325 near the Theophilus crater in the Mare Nectaris side. As he and his crew checked in into the central station of the mine, Mark noticed something odd.

One of the dozers cut a tunnel during the weekend when all the personnel was off and knowing about this incident. Mark loses its customary New York City calm.

Now Mark is driving down tunnel 13B with his assistant shift Donna to find out who operated the dozer. Mark stops the six-wheeled vehicle at the entrance of the new tunnel. He is livid furious and jumps out headed straight to the bottom of the shaft, but Donna yells at him. "Old Man, stop!"

"What! What! I need to find out who was the idiot that dug a hole without permission!"

"You would die to know. Here put the mask on, the air pressure pumps were off during the weekend. Who knows how much O2 is down there and of course, we need the floodlights."

The old man chest expands and contracts slowly in anger as he looks down motionless and in a quick pace returns to the transport. Already Donna has two oxygen masks in hand. Mark takes one and a handheld floodlight. Then they head into the tunnel.

As they walk the lights breaks the hellish darkness in front. Both can see the customary circular cuts on the rock walls of the runaway machine a few minutes later they reach the bottom. The lights show the yellow painted hull of the machine. Mark opens the rear hatch, and both enter the mammoth sizes machine.

Mark opens the driver cabin hatch above them and both enter. "No one is here."

"Mark, why would be someone in here. Thus a bank robber stays in the bank waiting for the cops?" Donna said as she examines the operation logs. Mark stands next to her and asks. "Who was it?"

"It does not say."

"What! Stand aside. No one can start this piece of crap without a biometric scan." Donna rolls her eyes and turns to Mark, and she points to the logs to say. "Okay… Bill Johnson shut down the dozer at 1405 hours this past Friday, September four, then on Saturday the fifth at 0001 hours the dozer started to work. Today September the seven at 0501 hours it stops."

"Yes! Yes! I see that, and now is 0610, and here we are. I want to know, who started the dozer?"

"According to the log… it started by itself."

Then the conversation is interrupted by the communication link. "Mark, do you copy? Over."

"Send for Mark."

"Hey, we check the security cameras recordings, and no one entered the facility after we left on Friday."

Mark turns to Donna and he points to the onboard camera system of the vehicle, and she turns to it as Mark continues over the link. "Joe, call the main office and tell them what happened."

"Okay but you know the Feds from Alpha base are going to stop work for at least 24 hours."

"Hey, hey… make the dammed call. Gee whiz… Joe, just make the call."

"Okay but I better get pay for today."

"Or what!"

"I'll get the union on your butt."

"Oh really let me tell…"

"Mark." Donna said, but Mark continues his argument over the link. "…You, no one…" "MARK!"

"WHAT!"

"Look at this shit." Both stay glued to the screen, and Mark says. "That, that is more than 10 miles… that is deeper than Aiken crater."

"With how deep the main tunnel from where this dozer started digging is at, that puts us here close to fifty-two miles under the surface."

"No… no way. We don't have the permits to dig this deep."

"What the hell is that… is that a metal wall?" Donna said and immediately both look through the forward porthole. They see a bright high luster gray metallic wall. In a nervous but low tone voice Mark says. "Donna… lets back up this dozer…. Gently."

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The reception.

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Alan and Bill are doing the shutdown procedures of the Eagle as John in the back collects his belongings.

The docking bridge makes contact with the port side lateral airlock, and the panel displays green lights. Alan comes out from the flight deck and meets with John by the hatch. "Are you ready sir? I can make this bird land in Hawaii in three hours." John smiles and replies. "I was less nervous stepping on Mars."

"Ah, yes… One small step for a man, the second giant leap for humankind, I think you took that from Neil."

"It was inspiration from a giant."

"Well, I have a good one."

"What?"

"Open sesame." Then Alan presses the release button, and the door opens. The two old friends walk the long pressurized ramp until they are about to reach the terminal. John turns around to look back quickly, and he asks. "Where is Bill?"

"You will see why he is not here."

"Why?" At that moment they enter the terminal John is attacked by strong lights and flashes from news cameras. Several microphones are stuck in front of John's face, and Alan slightly bends and turns to the left saying as he smiles at John. "Have fun and remember Cyprus."

"Hey… hey… come back."

Several reporters commence asking questions as John tries to move. He is flabbergasted by the unexpected attention, and he slowly turns to look back and sees Bill doing a discreet exit from the ramp. John says under his breath. "Bastards, they knew."

More questions are thrown to the new Commander of Moon Base Alpha. Then a small detachment of security officers creates a buffer between the members of the press and John. He takes in the momentary reprieved and stops raising his hands at both sides chest high. "Okay… Okay, two questions. I have to start work."

The entourage of reporters explodes in unison asking questions and John points to a reporter. "You there, one question?"

"Thank you, sir. Melissa Meyers, Lunar action news five. Why the Moon and not run as the Vice-President?"

"I find more challenging taking care of the needs of 200,000 people on an area that is larger than the North American and European continents connive. Exploration is what brought us all here… the door through a new frontier, leading into our Solar System all that starts here on the Moon. Not Mars or the Moons of Saturn or Jupiter. To get there, all starts from right here. One last question, you over there."

"Thank you, Commander. Carlos Ortega Lunar News Network. Sir, are you aware of reports of a virus on the Moon affecting some flights and land traffic over the lunar equator?"

"You… asked what?"

"Yes sir, a virus."

"No, not the virus… what about the equator?"

"Yes sir, over the E-Super collider."

"I have not heard any reports on this. If you all allow me to start my work, I will look into it." Then a familiar voice with a worried tone says. "Okay, let the Commander go. He had a long trip, and I am sure he will make a press release."

John feels a hand pushing him forward, and he follows the motion as the security team moves around him. John looks to his side and says. "Victor, as always in the nick of time."

"Hello, John. We have to talk, big time talk."

The pair walks into one of the trams as the security stays out. John realizes that Victor has set a private meeting.

"How are you doing old friend?"

"Doing well, my daughter and my granddaughter are here until next week, and I have been an exemplary grandfather."

"You must be pampering that little girl."

"Everything she asks she gets from gramps."

"Sorry I could not be at Martha's funeral." Victor smiles look down and lightly tap John on his knee and replies. "You were busy in the Senate and the Vice-President nomination." John can feel the loss in Victor of his wife of twenty years to cancer. "I saw the news and…" "John is okay… life goes on, and we have things here that need attention."

"Okay, tell me."

"We still don't know what it is. Second, more people got ill, and this is happening all over the Moon."

"Near the equator?"

"Yes, near the equator."

"How come Margaret did not tell me this?"

"She does not know, at least not yet."

"What! That is not you. What made you not report these other incidents?"

"Doctor Russell made a good point."

"That been?"

"Panic… just panic."

"Panic? Victor, we are talking of the head of the Lunar International Organization that is the United Nations in space. Why not report this?"

"You heard that reporter, a virus… that leaked out from the Earth side from someone in her office. Our communications from here to her were encrypted in mathematical algorithms that will never repeat in one million years. That leak came from her office and thus far is a virus. What people don't know is how many are ill."

"How many?"

"So far seventy-eight people and many do not have a connection among them."

"Except that they were near the E-Collider. How many techs or employees of the E-Collider are ill?"

"None."

"None?"

"Not one."

"I was thinking on the nuclear depots."

"John the depots are away from the equatorial line in the far side this problem is on or near the equator."

The tram stops and both men stand up the doors open showing the atrium of the central command area in the base. Alan is standing by the side of the platform as John exists he says. "Hilarious Alan, you have not changed."

"Remember that day in Cyprus?"

"How can I forget it? None stop sorties over Syria and that press conference I ordered you to do."

"Bingo."

"Alan, John and I we have to catch up. Will see you later in Gloria's."

"Ok, I have to schedule the flight ops for tomorrow. See you guys there." As Alan walks away from John and Victor they head in the other direction and John asks. "Gloria's?"

"That is a small family restaurant and bar in the north side."

"After talking with you, I will need one."

"So do I John, so do I."

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The circling light.

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The Lunar Equatorial Accelerator (L.E.A) or E-Collider is a succession of accelerators that speed up particles to increasingly higher energies on every turn. Each accelerator boosts the energy of a beam of particles, before injecting the beam into the next accelerator in the sequence.

The last accelerator in the process circumvents the Moon, accelerating the particle beams up to 99.5 TeV per beam.

The smaller accelerators in the chain have their own experimental halls where beams are collided and used for experiments at lower energies, and they are spread out across the large equatorial accelerator.

The L.E.A main control center or base is located in Sidus Medii and contains several sub-control centers for the accelerators as well as the support centers. Some are the cryogenic distribution system, the technical support infrastructure, living quarters and the largest Hydrogen 3 fusion reactor on the Moon.

The L.E.A base is half the size of Alpha Moon base making it the second largest base on the Moon and both share the distinction of been constructed on the same architectural design. One person could not tell if he or she is in Alpha or the L.E.A complex if not for the fact that the person arrived at the L.E.A base.

Doctor Maya Roberts is the senior director of the L.E.A project a twice Novel Price recipient before the age of twenty in astro-mathematical quantum physics. At the age of nineteen, she discovered the elusive unified field theory or the theory of everything. Now call the Roberts quantum mass electro-gravity dynamics equation.

Today, she is running a field tests on one of the small accelerators of the system that is located on the other side of the Moon from the L.E.A base is located. The control center is similar in design and as large as NASA's Johnson Space Center with the customary succession levels in the shape of an auditorium and all the stations facing a lower proscenium filled with large screens and at the highest level of this technological incline is Doctor's Roberts station.

The technicians call it the ant hill, not because of the inclined shape leading to the top station where the young Doctor seats but because she never seats there, walking all over the place as if the annoying insects keep her away from her station. Although she displays calm as Roberts walks about, the techs can tell she is sweating buckets every time the switch is about to be flipped on.

"Mike, here she comes."

"Oh, crap… micromanaging, bit… Hey, Doc. What brings you to these parts?"

"What is the pressure in the hydrogen containers?"

"It is… 254 psi as it was five minutes ago."

"And the electric field?"

"All green. Doc, do not worry. Your hydrogen will be stripped of those irritating electrons."

"Thank you, Mike."

"My pleasure."

The Doctor walks away toward other stations, and Mike leans closer to his friend Steve as both discreetly look at Roberts and he says. "I would like to strip her of her electrons."

"She could have been a super-model. I heard she got divorced."

"Really!? From that Special Forces guy?"

"Yea, he is in Alpha as security chief."

"Oh, yea that dude. I can take him, mano a mano bro."

"Right… that guy was in the Middle East wars in Ukraine. Benny from accounting told that her ex-took on a team of Spetsnaz in Ukraine."

"I can take him."

"Mike you can't pick up a cup of coffee with both hands."

"Hey, I work out."

"Your avatar workout in Call of Honor."

"I kick your butt and Mathias last night."

"You have not played against the Piranha."

"I have been looking for her. I know she logs on from Alpha Base. Who is she?"

"No one knows. She has a private account."

"Okay, people let light this candle." Roberts said over the speakers. Each station checks in with a green to go. Then Maya turns toward Mike two stations below hers and says. "Release the hydrogen."

"Hydrogen released, striping field at optimal capacity." Then from another station below Mike's station. "Ma'am, the electrons are gone."

"Okay, spin the wheel."

"Spinning at 50 MeV and increasing." Maya looks into her screens and waits as all standby for her next command and the computer alert her, and she says. "Inject into the PSB."

All the techs look intently at their screens and input information into the main computer as another automatic system exerts their functions over the proses. "Ma'am the beam is at… 12.4 GeV and increasing."

"So far, so good." Maya said that with a sigh of relieved but then on Mike's station a warning window fills his screens. He tilts his head backward as his eyes widen. Mike rapidly stands to face Maya as he points to his station. "Doctor is happening again… the mass /speed ratio is increasing!"

"Shot it down." Maya throws her headset into her desk takes a large breath and repeats. "Shot it down and secure all stations."

The first stage accelerator is shot down and the content ejected from the containment. "I want all department heads working on this… I don't care if it takes all night. I want this solved."

Maya plummets into her seat putting her hand on her forehead looking into her desk as she mentally breaks down the process that just took place mathematically.

Steve turns to Mike as both secure their stations and he asks. "The same?"

"Yes, the same crap. The mass increases and yet instead of the speed go down it goes up. A first stage accelerator can't handle that."

"Why not inject it into the main E-Collider?"

"Oh, and the mass increases more at 99.9999… who knows how many more nines toward the speed of light and then Boom."

"Wow… is the hydrogen striped?"

"Of course it is. So… something is hitchhiking in the ride."

Both men slowly turn to look at Maya that still in the same posture and Mike goes to say. "Let her figure it out. She is the one that gets the big check."

Maya stands up and collects her notes and E-pads putting them in her backpack. As always she walks out with her famous one thousand yards stare. Maya's mind is absorbed in solving equations that saturate her mind.

All know that distant stare of hers as someone reading a do not disturb sign on a door. Maya walks through the hallways mumbling randomly under her breath equations to solve her problem.

Maya finally arrives at her office, and a young, tall athletic built man stands from a sofa. Maya's secretary points to the man, but Maya is in another world. As the door to her office opens her secretary points toward the man and she says. "Doctor, Major Verdeschi is here."

"Uh? What?" She turns toward the small waiting area of the reception office. Maya raises her hands as she looks down in anger. "Not now, Tony."

Tony walks toward her and says in an annoyed tone. "Did you sign the papers?" She pivots around and enters her office as to escape, but Tony follows her. Maya's secretary stands and says. "Sir, you can't go in there!"

He turns rapidly toward the secretary and says. "Call security… most probably I will get that call." A book goes flying close Tony's head from inside Maya's office. "Get out!" He walks in and asks. "Did you sign the papers?"

"Yes! Yes! I did!"

Their anger turns into a silent expression of surprised after she said that and Tony looks down and then up to tell her. "Let me have them."

She looks nervously about on her desk and around it. "I have them here… somewhere. Did you receive my E-mail?" He clears his throat and holds his hands in front and replies. "Nope."

"Darn… Okay, I will resend the E-mail all is there."

"Okay." That is all he said and turns around walking to the door. Maya looks at him as if he is taking a part of her with him when Tony stops and he slightly turns his head toward her. She regains her facial expression of anger looking toward her desk as she empties her backpack. "I said I would send it. What?"

Tony answers in a low tone of voice. "Nothing." He walks out, and the door closes. Maya plummets into her chair, and now instead of processing equations in her brain, Maya is processing emotions in her heart.

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The call.

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After a few minutes, Tony arrives at one of the motor pools airlocks, reception areas, and his companion Security Officer Lieutenant Tanya Alexander walks toward him. "Tony we have a call." He continues walking, and she matches his speed and heading. "What is it?"

"Someone used a dozer illegally in a mine operation in the Theophilus crater."

"That is in the Mare Nectaris… that is Gus and James beat."

"They are already there, but there is more than some drunken miner taking a joy ride in a dozer."

"Someone got killed?"

"Something about a… wall or something."

Both reach their pressurized jumper and enter. Tanya takes the controls and drives out toward the exit airlocks as Tony reaches for the communication link. "Unit twenty-three this is Unit one."

"Go for twenty-three."

"Gus, why is that the chief of security has to handle some drunk driving a dozer?"

"Sir, to tell you the truth, you have to come and see this. You may want to call Doctor Bergman's office."

"What, you found a tall rectangular black monolith?"

"Ah… well… I would put it in that category, but a low paying security officer can't just call for Bergman. That is your job."

Tony and Tanya look at each other intrigued by Gus last statement and again Tony pays attention to the link as Tanya listens with more attention. "Hold on… are you implying…?"

"Hey, I am just a policeman on the beat. I have seen old space junk all over the Moon, but this is different."

"I am on my way."

The small vehicle has cleared the structure and slowly lifts, and at the optimal altitude, Tanya turns flying toward the Theophilus crater.

About an hour later, the security vehicle is landing on the traffic pad of the mine. Tanya drives the vehicle toward the airlock. Both officers stayed silent through the whole trip.

The inner doors of the motor pool close behind them and Tanya parks next to Gus and James patrol vehicle. James approaches his superiors and says. "Sir, you are not going to believe this."

"What happen?"

"A dozer operated by itself during the weekend and dug a tunnel."

"What… dug what by itself?" Tanya asked in disbelieve. "L.T I saw the logs."

Then Donna the assistant supervisor of the shift arrives to receive the officers in a six-wheel vehicle. "You must be Major Verdeschi?"

"Yes, and this is Lieutenant Tanya Alexander. What happen?"

"Hop in, and I will tell you in our way there." The three officers get in, and Donna drives as she explains what has transpired. A few minutes later they arrived at the entrance of the newly excavated tunnel. All dismount and Mark the shift supervisor flanked by Gus walks toward Tony. "Sir, this is Mark."

"How do you do?"

"I don't know… you tell us."

"What is down there?" Then a male voice behind the group replies. "Whatever it is now is the property of Elements international." Tony as the group turns toward the voice and Mark says. "This is Mr. Reynolds, the company vice-CEO of lunar operations of Elements International."

Tony and Reynolds shake hands and Tony replies. "That is true, sir. But according to the treaty the Lunar International Organization has to check things out."

"I am fully aware of that, but that is the limit of the scope of the I.L.O."

"Yes, sir that down there is all yours."

"Good, let's go see it."

Tony, Tanya, Mark and Mr. Reynolds descend into the drilled cavity as they walk Tony asks. "Is there enough O2?" Mark replies. "Yes, sir. We pumped several metric tons of Oxygen."

Tony's eyes widen with surprise and ask. "How deep is this?"

"Believed or not, 51.4 miles."

"Wow." The group continues until reaching the bottom. The floodlights hit the metallic wall, and Tony gets closer to exam it better. He notices handheld drilling equipment near the wall, and he asks Mark. "You tried to drill it?"

"Yes, the dozer blades were worn out, and we brought diamond drills and a laser/plasma drill, and none could cut through. The laser/plasma not even warmed the surface." Then Reynolds goes to say. "We are bringing a Fusion drill from our Tyhco site to drill it."

"Wow, isn't that powered by a fusion reactor?"

"The same."

Tony looks down and slowly looks up to the wall he touches it, and he says. "Do not drill. I will call the science department in Alpha to have them look at it."

Mark looks down in anger and then looks at the wall to say. "Are you guys shooting us down? I have people depending on their paychecks to feed their families!?"

Tony goes on to say. "And I am sure you like those people you mention to go home. I am no miner or a scientist, but anyone can assure me that you poke a hole and that thing will not blow up?"

All are silent, and then Tony adds. "I am ordering the suspension of all mining operations under the safety sections of the Lunar Treaty."

"Oh, look who is talking, the only one that touched that thing without a glove, Mr. Safety. Look, mister…!"

Reynolds calmly raises his hand in front of Mark and he goes silent, but his anger is self-evident. Then Reynolds goes on to say. "Chief, you and the Alpha experts will have our full cooperation. I am the one that stopped the handheld drilling. However, the other mining sections can continue operating, right?"

"No one here can tell the extent of this wall under the mine. So I am ordering the suspension of all operations.

"Chief, is it you or whom can determine that operations can resume?"

"Now, the only person that can order the mine to resume operations is Dr. Bergman or the new Commander. But most probably the Commander will listen to Bergman."

"I understand. Unless you have any more questions, we can head up."

The group walks the incline, and as the last splendor of the floodlights vanishes, the handheld drilling equipment left behind inexplicably commences to move slowly toward the wall.

As if an invisible hand was dragging the equipment over the ground the drills hit the wall, and the wall turns into a liquid fluid similar to mercury, and the equipment it is pulled deeper.

Once the last mining equipment has vanished through the wall, a human figure takes shape in the fluidic pool, and slowly a female figure emerges as if pushing against a plastic wrap.

The fluid gives way to a tall, athletic female wearing a gray one-piece uniform. Only her head from the neck up and her hands are exposed from the tied body garment. She stands still for a moment to perceive her surroundings and commences to walk up toward the entrance of the tunnel.

.

The pass down.

.

It has passed an hour or so since John arrived at his new command, although officially he is not part of the base as Commander, yet. John has to present himself as a professional courtesy to his fellow Commander and old friend, Anton Gorski.

Victor and John enter the Main Mission/Command Center, brain and heart of not only Moon Base Alpha but of the entire endeavor of humanity settling on the Moon.

The Command Center is as John remembers from his briefings. A two deck rectangular bay as he faces into the bay and to the left the main quantum/bio-supercomputer capable of processing quadrillions of functions in a Nano-second. In the center the command and control stations, where the department heads seat during the day shift. The top deck is the auxiliary systems and behind John the Commander's office and quarters.

Commander Gorski is standing behind the Main Operations station crewed by Paul Morrow overseeing his last operation as Commander. Gorski slowly turns to face John, and both men smile. John walks toward him as Victor and both Commanders shake hands. "John, I am sorry I did not receive you in the landing port, but we have been busy here."

"Don't worry Anton, I understand." Victor goes on to say. "In the past days, we have been tracking a comet fragment from the Weiss Comet and not until now we can do something about it."

John replies as he looks at Victor and Gorski. "You have to use a pusher missile?" Gorski replies. "No." Then he turns to Paul and says. "Activate the Holo-Ladar for the Commander."

Paul pushes a window on his screen, and a three-dimensional image of the Moon appears in the center of the room showing all the tracking of land as flying vessels moving on or over the Moon.

It also shows all the ground facilities, satellites as all the space stations and all the objects displayed have a small window with an identification serial number. Gorski says. "Paul, enhance grid 10001-B."

The image is augmented, and the comet fragment is displayed, and next to it, three dots are shown matching the speed of the rouge stellar object. John looks attentively and asks his counterpart. "Eagles?"

"No, those are the new F-145's Shado fighters."

"Shado fighters, having those here goes against the Lunar Treaty?"

Victor answers John. "The fighters have been modified and repurpose for these actions. A pusher missile is still out of range and sending an Eagle it would imply a crew landing on the object to place charges, and that is too dangerous."

"I see. How many you have up here?" Gorski goes to say in a jovial tone. "We have, John you have one hundred and twenty. We have to cover the entire surface of the Moon."

John smiles and says. "Okay, okay I will have, but I am sure there is a paper we have to sign first before midnight."

"Yes, we do." Gorski puts his hand on John's back, and he says. "Follow me to my… ups, I meant… your office."

The trio turns, walking up on a small flight of stairs to the Commander's office facing the center. Gorski seats behind the desk as John and Victor in front.

Gorski gives an E-pad to John and says. "That is the pass down release document, 1021-B. The first 200 pages it contains the full inventory of the all the items of the base to include the base itself with the monetary value of each item."

"Of course."

"The following 125 pages are the personnel roster, and access codes, which you can change at your convenience and behind me is the safe. You have the access codes for the defense systems in there as the Exodus directives."

"The Exodus directives?"

"Only by the direct order of the I.L.O Chairman… or as we know, Chairwoman being Margaret Simmons, with the proper confirmations codes the entire Moon will be evacuated to Earth. If that is to happen, as you Americans say, the shit hit the fan… big time. That means that on Earth all the heads of state of the countries in the I.L.O Council and the U.N have agreed to enact the directives."

"What would make them activate the Exodus directives?"

"All that will cause a major catastrophic loss of life on the Moon. Guess what?"

"What?"

"Alpha personnel are the last to abandon ship."

"That is comforting."

"Je, Je… yes. Now to continue the tour of the office from our chairs, to your left in that bookshelf, all those red binders are the hard copies of the operating procedures of all the sections of the base. The procedures are also in the computer where you can edit them and the involved department head signs, but you keep a hard copy in the binders. Before I leave, hopefully soon, I will show how to operate your new desk. Do you have any questions?"

"Well, is like you are in a hurry."

"My family is already in Moscow, and I want to leave. But before you sign your sanity away, I will have a department heads meeting at 5 pm so you can meet the staff. Also, you can change from that civilian attire to your black sleeve."

"Then officially I can kiss goodbye to my sanity."

"Hey, it will be for a year. I am not walking in a straitjacket out of here. You will love this place."

Then from the communication pad on the desk, Paul's voice is heard. "Commander, the fighters are ready, and the widow is optimal."

"Go ahead with the operation."

"Yes, sir." John asks. "You are bumping it out of orbit."

"No, my friend. We are landing that sucker near the water reservoir of Mare Crisium. Those are several billions of gallons of water. If not for this action the fragment would have hit part of the E-Collider."

"Talking about the E-Collider, do you think our problem here has to do with it?" Gorski presses one of the screens on his desk and the doors of the office facing the command center close.

"I am sure, Victor told you."

"Yes and that is because of Dr. Russell, some information has not been sent up the chain."

"That is correct, I rolled with that recommendation, and as soon as I am Earth side, I will tell Margaret directly. This situation is delicate. There is a lot of money and other interests depending on the stability of what we do here."

"Always money."

"For them on Earth is money. For guys like you, Victor and I is exploration. After the last Apollo mission, it took 53 years before a crewed mission could return to the Moon and ever since we have been on the move here. Something like this… a contagion could derail all that has been accomplished in the past 74 years."

"I understand, but the holding back information is not common to do, even if Margaret is to find out by more secure channels later."

"John, finally humankind is taking space expansion seriously. We wasted Earth with the use of fossil fuels and pumping trillions of tons of chemicals in the sponge we call Earth's ecosystem. Some of that crap still floating in the lithosphere, the atmosphere, and the oceans and they still pumping that crap."

"Yes, that is sad, but in the upside, all the discoveries made here are helping to clean the Earth."

"You are right John. It was here on the Moon that humankind discovered how to manipulate gravity and now we have faster and better ships. If not for the Moon, you would not have traveled to Mars in 14 days. We have now the largest supercollider ever built and the largest radio telescope including all the optical telescopes spread across the surface."

"I do understand the progress humankind has made on the Moon. But holding information about the illness?"

"I know, I know and I for one not like that but there is a leak in Margaret's office, and that is dangerous."

"But lives are at risk."

"John, all that can be done has been done. We are in the blind here. An illness never encountered in history that does not travel in the conventional mediums of propagation and hits at random. We can't tell people to stay home."

"Wait. Hold on… all the victims were in some vehicle near the equator?" John turns to Victor and continues saying. "Am I correct?"

"Yes, we noticed that. Vehicles have less shielding than structures that is why we are inclined to the radiation source but also the vehicles were pressurized with two or more people."

"The suits?" John asked as Victor and Gorski look at him lost by his comment. "What about the suits?"

"Has anyone wearing a space suit become ill?"

"No."

"Suits have way less protection than a vehicle, are pressurized, and no one has become ill while outside."

Victor replies highly intrigued. "You are right, and we never saw that. Suits are a vehicle powered by human motion. An engine system or a gathering of people is the problem. But still, what is the common denominator… what is the source?"

Gorski goes on to say. "So, motorized vehicles containing two or more people with a pressurized environment are the target of this illness." John asks. "What, those vehicles carrying the victims have that a suit does not have?"

Victor stands looking toward the back wall of the office as his mind goes over the newly discover angle. He slowly starts to walk to the rear door as he says. "I will be busy in my lab and later come back with something."

The two commanders stay silent looking at the departing scientist. Once Victor is out of the office Gorski turns to John and says. "Come with me, and I am going to introduce you to Dr. Russell. We have to tell her of your insight on this."

"At the hospital?"

"Don't tell me you are afraid of needless."

.

The lab.

.

Victor arrives at the main research facility and enters his work area. One of the techs, her assistant Carolyn Powell goes to say as the price Novel laureate walks in. "Doctor Bergman, Major Verdeschi has been calling you for the past 45 minutes."

"Take a message and pass me all the specs on cargo freighters, passenger craft and land cargo haulers to my station… oh and also space suits specs. Why the coffee pot is empty?"

Carolyn walks up to him with determination and puts an E-pad on Victor's face showing a video. "The Major reported this archeological finding from a mining site."

"A, what… an archeological… come again?"

"A wall of unknown composition, he believes it is part of a larger structure."

"Inside a mine? When all this happen?"

"It was discovered this morning by the miners."

"Check the geo-maps. It must be the structure of an old base, or it could be an old probe."

"At 51 miles under the ground?"

Victor stands still as his head slowly pivots toward the E-pad that Carolyn still holds. He says in a subdued but surprise tone. "Forget the coffee and get a team together and you are in charge of it."

"They are standing by on pad five and two Eagles full of equipment."

"Keep me posted and pass to my station what I asked you for."

"Yes, Doctor. Oh, by the way. The shipment of Holdium 167 was hauled away this morning."

"Holdium? I never asked for Holdium." Carolyn turns around and grabs another E-pad and shows it to Victor. "Here, sign by one Victor Bergman and approved by Alton Gorski, Commander."

"Maybe, but… who took it?"

"It is right there."

"I.M. Construction, a construction company. Why would a construction company need Holdium?"

"I guess is for molecular laser welding. Six tons of it pass the customs inspections and approved by the Commander."

"I will ask him, later. Now go I have work."

"Yes, sir."

.

Trouble in the mine.

.

Tony, Tanya, Gus, and James are in the mine's motor pool conversing with Mark and Mr. Reynolds. Then the comm-link in Tony's vehicle receives a message, and Tanya moves toward the vehicle to answer it. After she responds she turns to the group and says. "They are on their way." Mark shakes his head in disappointment and goes on to say. "I was hoping it was nothing."

"You can't take that risk." Tony said. "We can still work in other sections of the mine."

"Wait until Dr. Bergman makes that call." Reynolds replies. "As I said, we will cooperate fully and that wall might be more jobs and pay raises for all here."

Mark finally smiles and says. "Well, if that is the case. A couple of days off are okay then." Donna walks to the group, but she is looking toward the far side of the structure and asks. "Chief, is that woman one of the techs from Alpha?"

All turn to look intrigued and Tony replies. "No, I saw her entering the motor pool and thought she was with you."

Mark replies. "Not with us. Hey! You lady, stop right there!" She ignores him, and then Mark yells to two of his employees near her. "Roy, Andrew! Stop that woman!"

The two, body built large men cut in front of the woman, and Roy says. "Hey, the boss wants to talk to you." She continues walking ignoring them, and Andrews puts his hand on her shoulder. "Hey, are you deaf."

She grabs him quickly by his hand and squeezes hard breaking every bone. Andrews goes down to his knees but Roy tackles her against the wall, and she pushes him several meters away.

By now the four officers are running toward her with their electric batons in hand. Tony yells in a commanding voice. "Stop and put your hands on your head!"

The woman stops and slowly turns toward the officers. For Tony's surprise, the woman looks familiar, and he says. "Maya?"

"We have been woken. We must go to connect. We must return."

"Ah…ah." That is all the rough ex-special forces said, but Tanya takes over. "Put your hands on your head!"

The woman turns and continues walking. Gus says. "She is going to the airlock."

James is the first to make contact with her using his electrical baton, but the officer is pushed several feet by an electrical arch. Tanya pulls her service weapon and points. "Stop!"

The woman grabs the airlock door and opens it with force. Then moves into the chamber and holds the outer more massive door and commences to open it. The atmosphere starts to escape, and Tanya is ready to open fire when Tony slightly pushes her and Tanya fails to hit her target.

Tanya looks at him in with surprise as the strange duplicate of Maya Roberts finally opens the door, and the atmosphere is vented. Gus grabs James as Mark and Donna help the two down fellow miners. Tanya grabs the stun Tony and says. "RUN!"

The group runs to safety into a nearby compartment but Tony dashes toward his vehicle farther out followed by Tanya. Both make it in time into the atmospheric safety of their vehicle.

"Are you MAD!?" Tanya yelled, but Tony ignores her as he drives the jumper. He remotely opens the motor pool vehicle's airlock and finally makes it out. He hovers in front of the airlock where the woman came out, and there is nobody.

"This is impossible." Tanya said as she looks to her right. Tony looks and says. "She has no pressure suit and the Sunlight is on her."

Tony flies the jumper toward the woman running away, and before the vehicle is on top of her, she vanishes among the small hills in the area. Both officers search with no luck until two science Eagles arrive at the mine. "That was not her."

"I know… I know it was not her. We have to return and check on James. I do not even know how to report this."

"Thank God, is not my job."

.

Crossroads.

.

Alpha's main hospital has the capacity of one thousand two hundred beds two M.I.C.U's one large S.I.C.U and the cardiac ward with a complete C.C.U.

Among this also you can find the different medical departments with their clinics. One level is dedicated to medical research and a high-level isolation area with two hundred beds. This entire medical facility covers the needs of the lunar population, and it is supplemented with over two hundred small medical centers across the surface.

In total five thousand people are working in the hospital at any given time. The hospital is located in the east side of the Alpha base, and most of its levels are underground.

Anton Gorski and John Koenig arrived at the main lobby where the administrative director and second in the hierarchy under Dr. Russell, Mr. Johnson received the two Commanders. "Welcome, Commander Gorski… Commander Koenig. I am Mr. Johnson I run the admiration and service aspects of the hospital." Gorski goes on to say. "Thank you for receiving us. As I told you before, this is Commander Koenig."

"How do you sir."

"Well, thank you. Where is Doctor Russell?"

"Follow me please."

The three move toward the central area of the lobby where a large number of elevators are gathered. People come and go through the structural hub. Medical personnel pushing patients on gurneys or wheelchairs and other patients are going to their appointments and so on of what anyone expects to see in a major hospital.

Johnson approaches one of the elevators and puts his hand on a small screen. Then several selections appear in the screen, and he selects the one VIP CALL. "Doctor Russell is in the isolation ward. She has been in there for more than twelve hours."

John goes on to say. "That is dedication." Gorski replies. "Not dedication, devotion. She has a hard driven character when it comes to taking care of her patients."

The elevator's doors close and the trio goes down to the lower levels. Gorski asks. "Mr. Johnson, have there been any new victims?"

"None have been reported."

"Good."

The elevator stops and Johnson step out first followed by Gorski and John. After moving through several hallways and one guarded checkpoint, they arrived at the isolation ward. Johnson approaches one of the Doctors and asks. "Dr. Nuñez, this is Commander John Koenig, and you already know Commander Gorski."

"How do you do gentlemen? If you came to see Dr. Russell, she is in the lab, over there."

"Thank you." The new arrivals walk toward the lab and enter. Johnson sees Dr. Russell at the end of the long room watching the results of the labs from the victims.

The group moves toward her and Johnson says. "Doctor, Commander Gorski and Koenig are here."

She quickly rubs her eyes and then she stands and slowly turns to face her visitors. Gorski goes on to say. "Doctor, this is Commander Koenig my replacement in hopefully four more hours."

For some reason that both, Helena and John can't explain their smiles are more accentuated, and their handshake gentler and longer. Their eyes gaze into each other's eyes is more profound and as their smiles slowly vanish.

Helena breaks the accidental contact by timidly stepping backward been taken by the encounter. John clears his throat and says. "Nice meeting you Doctor."

Helena and John's unexpected demeanor is cover again by their professionalism then both turn toward a smiling Gorski who asks. "Have you two met before." John replies. "I never had the pleasure."

"Well, I have seen you on television, but ten billion people saw you as well."

"Oh, the Mars landing."

"Yes."

Gorski's command phone rings, and as he reaches for it, he says. "Doctor, can you brief Commander Koenig. I have to take this call."

"Yes of course."

Gorski moves to a more private area in the lab and Helena turns to her station. Johnson goes to say. "I have things to attend if of you excuse me."

"We will talk later." Helena says as Johnson acknowledges her as he walks away. John then asks. "What have you found?"

"We believe that a radiant source causes this illness. Not the ionizing ones that we know about."

"What is the difference?"

"Ionizing radiation irradiates heavy particles, and when those particles intrude the human body, it dislodges DNA molecules in cells. Thus making the cell to forget its purpose and this cell or cells divided exponentially taking over the organ they belong to."

"That is Cancer."

"Correctly. Now the radiant force we are encountering is reorganizing the DNA molecules in certain areas of the human brain. The eyes of the victims had change has to collect more light, and that is the brilliance you see here in these pictures."

"What parts of the brain?"

"All the areas dealing with the senses, all have been augmented, but the information is so much that the victims are in a coma."

"No one has recovered?"

"None. All their other biological functions are normal. No fever, no dermal damage, oxygen intake is normal. If not for the affliction to their sensory parts of their brains these people are in good health."

"You have worked closely with Doctor Bergman in this?"

"Yes, I have."

"He is checking on something with regards to radiation shielding."

"We check the radiation shielding of the vehicles and all are to standard."

"Any of this patients, were wearing a space suit?"

"No, they all were in a vehicle. What a space suit has to do with this Commander?"

"Commander Gorski and I went over a list of E.V.A actions taking place near or on the areas were these victims acquired their ailment. None of the people involved in the E.V.A's were affected and keep in mind the shielding of a suit is way less than that of a vehicle."

"I see, that adds to the mystery. Has Dr. Bergman found anything?"

"Not yet."

Gorski walks closer and says. "John, my security chief just called about a strange situation developing in one of the mining sites. He wants me to take a look."

"What happen?"

"I will tell you on the way there. Doctor, keep me posted and don't forget the meeting this afternoon at 1700 hours."

"I will be there." John goes to say. "We will talk then, good meeting you."

"Likewise, Commander."

.

Flight 205.

.

Paul and Kano are running an analytic routine of the auxiliary communications network when Paul asks. "How many quantum computers are there beside the one we have here?"

"There is one in the I.L.O. Headquarters in Switzerland, the second in Maryland and the third one in the U.N. headquarters in Belgium."

"I thought there were more?" Sandra said as she seats on her station. Kano replies. "There are more but not like the Bio-gel, Tri-linear quantum computer that we have here. In each molecule size storage unit you can store the entire history of humankind over a billion times. The main computer can pull and save information at once from all the molecule storages in a Nano-second." Then Paul asks. "How many molecular storages it has?" Kano smiles and replies. "How many stars are there?"

"All those are in how many gallons of goo?" Sandra asks, but she adds a sarcastic tone to her question. "It depends one day is twenty gallons in others forty-five. It has mood swings, you know."

"A girlfriend with brains made out of goo. That is your type."

"Yes, that is my type." Paul asks Sandra. "You worked with the new Commander before?"

"I work with him in Huston. Koenig is professional, and he will back you up, and he is fair. However, do not hide anything from him or worst lie."

"Alan Carter knows him best." Kano said, and Paul adds. "Don't forget Dr. Bergman, Koenig and he went to Mars."

"Oh, yea… I forgot that." As Sandra completes her comment, a window opens in one of Paul's screens.

He looks at it, and his eyes widen. "Computer, enhance grid 2005-b at 5,000 feet." As Paul says this he stands and walks to the center of the room toward the holographic projection of the lunar surface.

He lightly touches his earpiece and says. "Copernicus control this is Alpha control. I am following flight 205, and it overshot your facility."

Out from the loudspeaker, the voice of a young woman is heard. "Alpha control this is Copernicus control, we lost contact with 205 one minute ago during their final approach. Be advised that we are calling and no response from 205… we are trying to engage the remote flight control… standby Alpha."

Silence, all wait for the Copernicus flight traffic controller to come back with good news, seconds feel like hours, and then two quick high pitch alarms are heard over the loudspeakers as from the holographic projection.

The digital representation of flight 205 changes color from green to red and the female voice is heard again with a more worried tone. "Alpha control, this is Copernicus control… we are declaring an emergency… flight 205 is none responsive and descending. In approximately five minutes it will collide in the Montes Carpatus mountain range. Alpha, do you have an Eagle in the vicinity that can take over."

Paul takes a big breath and says. "What happened to the remote control option?"

"We just tried and did not work. The only alternative is one or two Eagle's crew members to board the flight."

Paul again touches his earpiece and says. "Eagle One, take off… toward the Copernicus crater… all the information is now in your mission computer. Hurry, lives depend on it."

Eagle one has been assign and prep for emergency standby, and it takes off from the pad. One of the pilots reads the mission and says to his companion. "We can do this, but we might not get there on time."

The female controller of Copernicus facility goes to say with a tone of relieved. "Thank God."

Paul turns to the holographic projection, and he sees a second display approaching fast flight 205. A familiar voice is heard. "Alpha control this is Alan Carter, in Eagle 105. We are by the Copernicus crater, and flight 205 is in our twelfth O'clock, and we are closing."

Inside Eagle 105 Bill turns to Alan and he asks. "How we play this, Boss-man?"

"Match speed and heading. We dock with the forward dorsal hatch, and I jump in. Simple shit."

"Yea, simple shit said the cow in my daddy's farm in Idaho."

Alan stands from the flight command seat and heads to the back. He puts his helmet and opens the top compartment by the airlock and pulls down the hoist. By now Bill has his helmet on and says. "Too bad we don't have a cargo pod."

"This is how the cards were dealt. You will be my eyes, line me up good."

"You can open the door."

Alan does and looks down seen the rear of the passenger craft. The view slowly moves forward until the yellow striped dorsal hatch of 205 comes to view. "Ok, Bill we are lineup. We have 50 feet of cable here."

"It is going to be close." Bill lowers the Eagle to 25 feet almost on top of the passenger craft. Then Alan jumps suspended from the cable. "Bill, lower the hoist."

"Yes, sir… oh and by the way those mountains look big." Alan clears the hull of the Eagle looks forward, and he replies. "No shit, Sherlock. We are getting closer. Once I make contact peel off and stay away."

"I have my cowboy hat tie and good to go. You give me the word."

Alan reaches the top hull of the passenger craft and detaches from the hoist cable. He bends his body as far as the suit allows him. He reaches the service hatch and tries to open it, but the circuits are dead.

"Crap!" It is all that he said, and he moves to the left of the hatch and opens a panel containing the manual unlocking mechanism of the hatch. He unlocks the safeties and pulls the lever.

The hatch opens by air pressure and hydraulic pistons. Alan slides into the compartment and closes the hatch. The only light provided is the one from his helmet. He reaches the bottom and again manually opens the inner door.

He enters the passenger craft through one of the midsection galleys the lights onboard are out and walks with a haste pace toward the flight deck. He sees all the passengers unconscious on their seats or on the deck.

He jumps over one of the food carts and falls to the ground he stands up and runs toward the front. Alan reaches the pilot's cabin door, and it is lock. "Dammed!"

"Hurry, Boss-man."

"How close are those mountains!?"

"I could spit from here and hit them."

Alan looks about and sees one of the stewardesses on the floor next to the door. She was carrying a tray with four cups of coffee. Alan realizes that she was taking the coffee to the pilots.

He knows that the power is out, but a manual key is needed to open the door. He searches the flight attendant and finds a set of keys on her. He commences trying each key until the third one opens the door.

He enters the cabin, and for his horror, a small mountain is approaching fast. Then he feels a jolt from under the hull of the passenger liner, and the nose goes up. Alan reaches the controls, and he yells. "Bill, what are you doing!?"

The Eagle is under the forward section of the space liner, and with an effort, the smaller craft lifted the nose of the doomed flight. "Giving you and all on board a chance."

Alan activates the manual controls, and as he does, he yells this time with anger. "The Eagle can't handle the weight without a pod!"

The Eagle not having a pod attached in the center to give more structural support bends slightly but it is enough to sever the flight controls from the flight cabin to the engines, and the Eagle falls in a spin toward the surface.

Alan takes command of the passenger craft and lifts the nose banking toward the Copernicus facility. He sees the Eagle hit the side of a mountain and roll down. Alan hits the panel several times in anger.

"Stupid, heroic cowboy kid."

Alan looks at his forearm pad on the suit and changes channels. "Alpha control, this is Alan Carter… I have command of flight 205. I need emergency landing clearance and a medical team for the passengers. Eagle 105 went down I need a S.A.R mission."

"This is Alpha control. Eagle one is two minutes out for S.A.R ops. Copernicus is standing by with the emergency teams."

Suddenly the co-pilot of flight 205 touches Alan by his right shoulder. Alan looks and sees him saying something, but he can't hear him through his helmet.

The co-pilot's eyes are bright as if the light of a lantern was inside his head. "Alan is taken by the spectral view and then the co-pilot losses consciousness. "What in Hades, is going on!?"

.

The mine.

.

John and Gorski are observing the research crew lead by Carolyn Powell examining the strange structure in full bio-suit protocol. Between the observers and the object of interest for all, there is a transparent containment tarp. Gorski turns to Tony and asks. "And you touched that thing without gloves or any P.P.E. In a crime scene you go on touching evidence?"

"No, sir. I saw the drilling equipment, and I thought the miners did it before me." John adds as he looks toward the wall. "Talking about the drilling equipment, no one took it?"

"No, sir. According to the shift supervisor, none of his guys came for them. Per the orders of Mr. Reynolds all was to be left as it was." Gorski asks. "Tell me, Tony… how… well, how this woman looked like, who?"

"Dr. Roberts."

John turns to Gorski with only an inquisitive look and Gorski answers at John's silent question. "She is the head researcher of the E-Collider."

"The, Maya Roberts?"

"The one." Tanya goes to add. "She did not exactly look like her. The facial features were different. The woman looked like her, but it was not her, sir."

"What do you mean?"

"Along her sides of her cheeks, there was a different darker hue color. More like dark purple and as it approached the mouth area, it became smaller. More like that Victorian era long sideburns that ended in an upward triangular hook but never extending to her mouth and her eyebrows were small ridges like dots as far as anyone's eyebrows would go."

"But everything else did resemble Dr. Roberts?"

"Yes, sir."

Carolyn comes out and takes her mask off to say. "We ran a spectral analysis, metal composition, sonar and Ladar, and nothing registers. No heat, no emissions or any we send to the wall bounces back to our instruments. All we know by the strata and depth that possibly this wall has been here since the Moon was formed."

All eyes open wide during her last stamen. John drops his arms to his sides as he looks at the wall. Gorski is trying to formulate a question, and all he says is. "4.5 Billion Years?"

"Yes, I know… I have to run the strata samples by the computers in Alpha. This very well could be a fast impact object, and it embedded itself this deep."

One of the researches comes out in a brisk pace toward Carolyn. He opens the partition and gives her an E-pad. "Carolyn this is what the spherometer calculated… this numbers must be off."

Carolyn reviews the findings, and she turns to her colleague. "Use the other one."

"I did and used both to confirm each other." John asks. "What is it?"

"Sir, a spherometer calculates the curvature of an object and…" Gorski interrupts. "Commander Koenig knows what a spherometer is, go on. What did you find?"

"Sir, this object circumference covers more area… this is not a wall but a large sphere and if the readings of the two spherometers are correct. This could be the Moon's lower crust."

Gorski and John look at each other and then Gorski turns to Carolyn to say. "Dr. Powell, you run up to your Eagle and give all this to Doctor Bergman and have him come down here… now."

"Yes, sir."

Right after that order, Carolyn runs up the incline as she takes off her bio-suit. John turns to Gorski to ask. "What about the other project he is working on?"

"John, this could be it. This whole structure is the cause of our problems."

Gorski looks at the time and goes to say. "John it is 1 pm. I don't like to leave you with this inheritance, but it is almost that time."

.

Earthly problems.

.

I.L.O Headquarters in Switzerland the hub of all lunar operations on Earth. As always many come and go in the large building with the security measures at the main lobby that anyone would see in an airport.

Among the many one woman passes the security checkpoints with no problems and at the last station, she is placed in a full body sonogram machine. "Please, Ms. Robinson step this way." The armed guard said, and the woman walks forward asking with a smile. "All good?"

"Yes, ma'am. The research area is on the 57th floor."

"Thank you, officer."

She gets a visitor's pass, and she heads deeper into the building. Instead of walking to the elevators she heads to the bathrooms and once in she enters one of the stalls and waits.

Other people come in and out, a few minutes pass by, and then a female voice is heard saying. "Sorry, we are closing this bathroom."

Then the woman says to two other ladies washing their hands. "Sorry, we have to fix a pipe, and it is going to be a whole day deal."

The women leave, and the maintenance woman posts a working sign out of the door and walks in. "Anyone else?"

Ms. Robinson knocks in a peculiar way on the stall door. The maintenance woman grabs a small duffle bag from her tool cart and passes under the door. "All is there. Right behind the closet is elevator five."

A few seconds later Robinson comes out wearing a bright aluminum foil cat-suit attire. She is holding a small tank of Co2, and a small handheld bag and Robinson moves toward the closet.

She enters and locks the door. On the other side on the wall, there is a thin metal panel were only two lightly tied screws holds the panel in place. Robinson pulls the panel exposing the shaft of elevator five.

She waits for the elevator car to stop below her and she jumps on top. She connects the hose of the tank to a connector on her suit then she covers her head and face with a hood part of the suit, and she injects the Co2.

The suits it is filled, and then she opens her small bag, and she attaches several small cables to the elevator's computer. She waits for the elevator to be empty and she activates a handheld computer.

The elevator goes down and as this happens small lasers hit the car on the outside from all angles. Robinson stays still as the security beams scan the car to avoid for intruders to do what she is doing.

The suit not only diffracts the beams away from the sensors but the Co2 hides her body heat signature.

Once the elevator stops at the lowest level the doors open and two armed security guards enter. "There is no one here."

"Hey, it must be a glitch. The alarms are quiet. Let's call this in."

As the doors close, Robinson jumps to the side of the shaft, and the elevator goes up. She crosses to the other side where the doors are, but her attention is on another panel similar to the one she entered the shaft from the bathroom above.

She pushes the panel slowly and enters into another closet. Robinson peeks and sees the guards facing forward toward the elevators doors. She is beyond the checkpoint inside the secure area.

Then one of the guards walks passing by the closet. She opens the door and grabs him by the head and breaks his neck. She grabs his weapon and runs toward the second guard and at point blank discharges the weapon.

The secure area belongs to her.

Robinson hides the bodies and heads to the main room, where the I.L.O. quantum mainframe is. She enters the service room where the liquid hydrogen tanks are, and she opens all the valves.

In minutes the whole level is flooded, and then she yells. "Liberum Luna!" and discharges the weapon.

Above, the building shakes as the lights flicker. Margaret Simmons is in a budget meeting, and all with her stand as the emergency lights come on.

She reaches the phone in front of her and calls her security chief. "Matheson, what just happen!?"

Before he could answer the automatic fire alarm dialogue is heard in several languages. "Code red, code red… building one, level 001."

"Ms. Simmons, there was an explosion in the mainframe room."

Secondary explosions shake the building again, and the phone line is down. Margaret takes command in the conference room and says. "All of you, out down the stairs."

She walks out of the meeting room stands on the first desk she encounters and yells to her subordinates. "Everyone out! Take the stairs, Franz, lead everyone out to the parking lot."

"What about you!?"

"I have to go to my office. I will be the last out. Just go!" Franz opens the stairwell door, and one by one the employees move down the stairs.

Margaret enters her office and opens her safe. She pulls a red metal briefcase and when she turns the maintenance woman is standing by the door. "Didn't you hear the alarm?"

"I came to see if you are alright, madam."

"I am fine, follow me."

As soon Margaret is in front of her. The woman grabs Margaret's head and snaps her neck. The woman takes off the overalls, and now she is wearing a business suit. She grabs the metal briefcase and puts it in a larger regular briefcase that she pulled from the maintenance cart, and she walks down the stairs.

.

Shock and awe.

.

In Alpha's command center all are paying attention to the news from Earth in their screens. Sandra goes to say. "Switzerland, the United States, and Belgium… what is going on?" Kano adds. "Not just anywhere. This was directed toward the quantum computers on Earth."

Sandra asks. "Kano, how you reached that conclusion the attacks were to destroyed the super-computers on Earth?"

"The I.L.O Headquarters in Bern was attacked, so the Defense digital information Headquarters at Ft. Mead Maryland and the U.N. building in Brussels. Since the attacks, there have not been any communications between those computers and ours up here."

Paul asks. "Why, who would gain on doing this."

Then the command line opens in Paul's screen and is Commander Gorski. "Paul, from the information you gave me and what targets were hit. I want you to double the security on the mainframe room and have Kano run a full analytic routine on the computer."

Kano goes to say. "Commander, an unscheduled full analytic routine will slow down the computer for at least 48 hours. Give me time to set the auxiliary systems so they can take the workload of the main computer."

"Kano, I don't want some virus to command the main computer to vent the atmosphere in Alpha. Whatever group did this could not reach our computer physically. Check and double check everything. Shutdown unnecessary systems if you have to. If you need to compute something, go to my office and grab a paper and a pencil and go at it."

"Yes, sir."

Gorski terminates the call and turns to John. "After our pass down I have to leave to Earth and head straight to Bern and check things out."

"What made you think that the attacks were directed toward the computers?"

"The three common denominators in each site attacked are those computers. If the attack would have been just the U.N. and the I.L.O I would have thought a group is making an international political statement but Ft. Mead, that right there completes the picture."

"I am sure Margaret has all under control in the I.L.O. You should go straight home and not Bern."

"I am sure she does, but an extra helping hand will not harm. I hope she calls soon."

The pilot of the Command Eagle goes to say over the speakers. "Sir, we are five minutes out."

"You have news on Alan and that passenger liner?" John asked.

"Yes, sir. Chief Carter landed the liner, and Ensign Fraser is okay. He was medevac to Alpha." John goes to say with relieved. "That is a good kid. Too bad he will not be flying for a while."

Gorski replies. "Alan has him under his wing. Those passengers were lucky those two were doing flight ops by Copernicus crater."

Then the communicator receives another call and Gorski answers. "Doctor Russell, what is the condition of the passengers?"

"The same as the others but there is a difference this time. I have a recording from Chief Carter's helmet. One of the victims spoke to him. While in the state they are now." John asks. "What did the victim told him?"

"Not directly to Carter, he had his helmet on. But the computer read his lips, and he said… We have been woken. We must return."

Gorski says. "That makes no sense." John turns to Gorski and says. "Wait, in Verdeschi's report… that woman said something." John grabs the E-pad and scrolls the report. "Here, she said… We have been woken. We must go to connect. We must return."

"Well, the victim omitted the, must connect part." Helena goes to ask. "What are you two gentlemen talking about?"

"Something happened in a mine site also about a discovery. We need to talk about this." John said and surprisingly a small smile much like the Mona Lisa surfaces in Helena's lips, and she says. "I will be looking forward."

The communication is terminated as the Eagle lands on the pad. Gorski turns to John to say as he smiles. "I have not seen her acting so… so mildly jovial toward anyone. Not before you came."

"Oh, come on. We are professionals."

"Hey, I call it as I see it."

Meanwhile on the far side of the Moon in the Tsiolkovsky crater, 110 miles east from the atomic repositories two people wearing civilian spacesuits have stopped their lunar land transport next to a communication control tower.

The pair enters the service shed were the communication equipment is located. Between the two they carry a cargo container. They put it on the floor and commence to pull out computers boxes and cables.

Once is all out they start to connect the jigsaw puzzle of computerized system and cables among the computers they brought with those of the communication tower.

"We have to start the first part in 15 minutes and the big finally by 1800Hrs."

"Why we have to wait and not do both as soon as we connect all this?"

"I follow orders. So keep working."

.

The burden of knowledge.

.

Maya Roberts is in a large conference room with all her department heads of the E-Collider. They are going over the information gathered thus far from the failed attempts to start the first stage colliders.

"Okay, people it has been two weeks since all this started. I want all on the table, from neutrinos, Earth's gravity, solar flares to the fictional Tachyons anything off the beaten path."

Mike raises his hands and says. "What about aliens?" Maya puts her hand on her face looks down and says. "If you have something plausible with that throw it." Then she looks at him livid at the world and replies. "If not shot up!"

"Okay, okay… not that path then."

Maya retakes control and says, reviewing the facts. "We all know that as a mass moves toward the speed of light gains mass and thus, it slows down. What we are seen is, mass gain but it speeds up. What is causing that?"

Steve goes on to say. "A hitchhiker… an unknown particle that we can't detect adds speed as the hydrogen molecule core is close to the speed of light." Mike says to Steve in a whisper. "You took my Idea."

"You went for the Alien spaceship flyover the Moon, crap."

"They might still be around."

"For two weeks? There are no cows to dissect on the Moon."

"Hey! You two stop talking and listen!"

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Yes, Doctor."

"Okay, Steve brought a good point but why now and not since we started this project. What is different in the past two weeks that was not there six months ago? Also on Earth, the Texas S.S.C Hyper-collider pushes the cores at 95.7%, and they don't have problems. Why we have this problem here and now?" One of the techs raises her hand and Maya points at her. "Yes, Freda."

"Doctor, two weeks ago a meteorite hit two miles north of the first stage collider 568 during a test. There was a massive spike in power."

"But the test continued normally."

"Yes, Doctor."

"Actually that was the last test done that we had no problems. It was the next test at the far side… first stage collider 67 when we started to have problems. Doctor Rowland and I inquired the good people of Moonbase Alpha and they never detected the impact, so it was not something to worry about."

"Yes Doctor, thank you."

The meeting continues for an hour. Different techs, Ph.D.'s and in between go over all the possibilities with no definite conclusion about the cause of the problem.

At the end of the meeting, all reach a collective agreement that the sensors and other measuring devices have to be upgraded to observe in more detail the acceleration of the hydrogen cores.

The meeting is adjourned and all commence to stand up. Maya walks to Mike standing next to Steve, and she asks Mike. "What was that crap of Aliens?"

"Oh, nothing Doctor."

"You must have a reason why and I hope it was not a joke?"

"Well... um, the space weather is clear, and the Moon puts out her usual amount of radiation, and the magnetic field is as always. Traffic of vehicles is the same with the same prolusion systems. Nothing has changed around or on the Moon of what is commonly known. So something new passed by leaving a residual amount of something."

"Okay, taking away the Alien angle, we are left with a transient force that has left some residual energy that somehow is affecting the E-collider systems. Is that better?"

"Well… the alien angle was cool but yes."

"So with Steve's theory, which I agree with…" "He stole it from me, by the way." "… and mixing it with yours, we have an unknown natural force or particle that is adding speed to a growing mass as it reaches the speed of light."

"More like a tugboat."

"Umm, but a Tachyon, in theory, has no mass and no polarity."

"Maybe and I was thinking on Tachyons. But not a polarity of their own but a source of our creation that gives them a polarity to pull."

"Let me get this straight Mike. You are describing a mediation force that interacts with the Tachyons in there realm making them condensate toward our realm."

"Exactly."

"So we are slowing down Tachyons with what?"

"We use magnetic and gravity accelerators, it is possible that gravitons contained in a magnetic field are acting as a wall slowing the Tachyons and somehow adding polarity pulling the hydrogen cores along with them. Now, are the Tachyons traveling individually or more like a cloud through the universe?"

"If it is a cloud it will pass by. But if they naturally travel separately, that will mean…?"

"You see Doctor Roberts, which is when the Alien ship comes in. Humanity does not have a Tachyon generator to have a concentrated amount of Tachyons as we encounter here and now floating about. There is a source close by putting out large amounts of Tachyons affecting the entire Moon."

"Mike, why do you jump to the conclusion that is affecting the whole Moon?"

"Dr. Roberts, for the past two weeks we tried to start all the first stage accelerators around the Moon's equator, and all failed due to this problem."

"All this is academic, to start Tachyons are, but a scientific ghost and Tachyons are more plausible in nature than aliens in spaceships pumping them out as an exhaust."

"Okay, let's take away the Alien factor and…" "I thought we did?"

"You did… According to your equation, there are higher levels of energy above the speed of light."

"Because the laws of physics in this universe stop pass the speed of light because all in that realm is reverting to the Big Bang as a cycle."

"Correct and thus energies are traveling beyond the speed of light, and among them, you can find those pesky Tachyons."

Steve adds. "These energies, we just name them Tachyons, but very well could be something else coming from that higher realm. Energies of different forms never detected. All we know of the realm above the speed of light is trough equations."

"Doctor, whatever they are this energies they are returning to the past to restart the Big Bang from a Universal cataclysmic event in our distant future that is not the big crunch and we are slowing them with the E-Collider."

Maya looks at Steve, and she replies. "There is no big crunch, anyway. So we are slowing them down and they pull on our cores. "

"The two lanes universal street effect in your equation, describes that cycle. That is part of your equation of everything implying that. The E-Collider, even the first stage colliders are putting a lot of energy in the chambers and they can do this."

"That is the only reason I am continuing this conversation with you two is the universal two way cycle in my equation. Look into this Tachyon intrusion and call me."

Maya turns and walks out of the room then Mike go to say in a mocking high pitch voice. "Blah, blah, blah… That is the only reason I am continuing this conversation."

"Mike at least she gave us the green light to look into it. Or you want to be calibrating sensors?"

"Not even that Special Forces dude could take her arrogant shit. Well, I guess you are right. Let's go to the research lab and start this."

Maya is headed to her office to have a Teleconference with the I.L.O scientific team in Cambridge when an alarm is heard. She changes direction toward one of the hallway intersection stations and looks at one of the screens for information. Maya reads the alert posted, and she grabs her intelligent phone. "Service department."

The handheld device connects her with the head of maintenance of the facility. "Mr. Ferguson, what is going on?"

"Doctor, we have a decompression in one of the lower airlocks… east lower entrance 89-B."

"Is it serious?"

"No, Doctor. The containments are holding. I dispatched a maintenance crew to check it out."

"Was anyone scheduled for an E.V.A and used the airlock?"

"Not one of my people. I will check the logs, it could be another department doing an E.V.A, but all is under control."

"Keep me posted."

"Will do."

Maya resumed her walk toward her office. She passes by several people in her way, and once she enters the administration section, she notices one of the hallways without power. Maya looks as she walks and sees a female figure standing at the far end of the darkened hallway.

She keeps walking with more important matters in her mind. Maya enters her office and sees her secretary. "Is the Teleconference ready?"

"I have not been able to contact Cambridge. It must be due to the attacks."

"What… wait, what attacks?"

"Terrorists bombed the I.L.O headquarters and the U.N in Brussels, and there was another attack in the United States."

"Where in the States?"

"Maryland, I think it was Ft. Mead."

"Connect me with anyone from the I.L.O."

"I will try."

Maya walks into her office and seats down behind her desk. She opens a personal channel to Earth, but there is no connection. "Wow, whatever happened must be big."

She searches the directory and finds the number of a friend on the Moon space station Antares. Maya calls and no connection as well. She reaches for the phone on her desk and calls her secretary. "Mary, have you called home?"

"I tried, but all the links are down. Oh, wait, someone just walked in."

"Tell that person I am busy and…" Maya could not complete her sentence when she hears Mary scream. Maya stands and runs toward the door. She walks into the reception area and sees a woman looking over an unconscious Mary.

"Stop!"

Maya is speechless looking at her duplicate turning the head toward her. Maya steps back as the woman walks toward her. Maya closes and locks the heavy oak door, but the woman punches the door introducing her arm.

Maya runs toward her desk and reaches the phone. "Security alert in the Director's office…" The woman breaks the door walking into the office, and both women are facing each other. "Who are you!?"

The woman stays silent.

Maya tries to run around the desk toward the door but her duplicate grabs her by the arm, and at that moment a bright light emanates from the intruder's hand holding Maya.

.

The fast-approaching hour.

.

Is 4:55 pm, Gorski, John, and Victor are in the Commander's office. The three are discussing the strange happenings thus far that day. Victor is going over his findings. "…And this is the schematics of the computer systems of the vehicles."

"They look the same." John said.

"They are the same. Different companies built each vehicle but all follow the same design as per the I.L.O standards of safety."

"That is what all vehicles have in common then, the I.L.O requirements." Gorski said as he examines the E-pad.

"One of the requirements is the computer systems, the civilian vehicles as our Eagles have their computer spread throughout the inner hull."

"So, there is an interaction between the mystery radiant force and the computer?" John asked, and Victor smile at John's insight before Victor could make his point.

"You are correct, John. When the mysterious radiant energy hits the vehicles passing through the hull interacts with the bio-gel of the Nano-components creating or changing the wavelength of the system."

"Generating a pulse frequency that affects the passengers, am I correct?" Gorski asked. "That is correct. The computers operate in a high frequency that the radiant energy speeds up bombarding the passengers, in this case, their brains. Spacesuits do not have the bio-gel computer system."

"Can you tell by the digital forensics what kind of energy is doing all this?" Gorski asked. "No or not yet but examining what is left of each computer from the vehicles, I found this."

Victor turns his E-pad toward the Commanders showing a circular wave function as seen in an oscilloscope, John and Gorski scroll their E-pads to look at it, and Victor continues.

"I called it, the Meta-wave signal. This signal is embedded in the affected computers and this same wave function is also showing in the brain scans taken by Doctor Russell from the patients."

"Does she know this?"

"Yes John, I told her, and she is monitoring this very closely."

Gorski looks focused at his pad and then looks at Victor to ask. "Okay, so all this has to do with the underground structure?"

"I was getting to that. The wall has a quantum resonance identical to the Meta-signal, however."

"However?"

"The computer systems of the mining vehicles are built as the affected vehicles, and none of the miners have fallen ill. So the radiant force reaching the vehicles is a mediation force of some kind that only happens above ground and condensates the Meta- signal of the structure into our universal plane."

"Condensates… as in quantum physics condensation?"

"Yes, Commander Gorski. It pulls into our Universal plane the signal, and I do not know if this condensate is controlled or hits at random." Gorski leans on his desk reaching the comm-link. "Paul."

"Yes, Commander."

"I am sending you a list of vehicles that need to be grounded." Paul looks at the list, and he replies with concern. "Sir, the Eagles too?"

"Only the ones with a low priority and the Eagles that do need to fly the crew will be in full E.V.A. The civilian vehicles there will be no compromise with the users. Only under a life-threatening situation, they can use them."

"Understood, sir."

"Anton, most of the civilian vehicles have Bio-gel computers. Those are thousands of vehicles."

"John, until we have a better handle on this…" Gorski smiles, looks at his watch and says. "You, my friend can lift the restriction in its totality or parts of it."

"Is about that time isn't?" John said looking at the time. Then Gorski slowly pushes across the desk the pad containing the pass down of command, and he says to John. "I wish I could have given you all this under normal circumstances."

The Door of the office facing the hallway signals that a person wants to enter, Gorski looks at the screen, and he smiles then looks at John to say. "I think this is a first. John this is for you."

"What?" Gorski from the desk opens the door, and Helena walks in holding a small bottle of Champagne. The three gentlemen stand and Helena approaches. John pulls a chair and she seats. "I brought this non-alcoholic Champagne."

"Thank you, Doctor. I take you are not celebrating my departure." Gorski said as he walks to one of the shelves to get three cups. Russell smiles and says. "Well, actually I am."

"Really, that bad I was?"

"Not at all Anton. This is to celebrate your reunion with your family and for a continuing prosperous life and to welcome Commander Koenig. This is the first pass down in Alpha. Maybe future Commanders will keep this small ceremony."

"I will make sure that this happens." John said as he opens the bottle. He fills the cups and Helena stands raising her cup to say. "For Alpha." All the gentlemen reply. "For Alpha."

"Well?" Helena asked as John taps gently on his hand the pad. Gorski looks at him. "Ready?"

"Ready."

Gorski opens the double doors leading to the main control and the four walk into it. Gorski goes to say out loud. "Attention, please. As you all know, this is Commander John Koenig, and he is here to take Command of Alpha base and all lunar operations under the I.L.O agreements. It has been an honor serving this past year with all of you, but my retirement calls me."

All present, go on to smile at Gorski's jovial comment but all display a sad deportment, Sandra and Yasko have to hold back tears.

Gorski continues. "Today, September the seventh of the year 2099 at 1715 hours I pass the command with all the authority, privileges… and headaches thereof…" Once again all smile as John looks down and then upholding the pad with his hands on his back. "… The Command of Moon Base Alpha to Commander Koenig, please if you could press your thumb on the line."

John does and all the screens that have Gorski's name dealing with official documentation change to John Koenig Commander. Kano looks at his station's monitors and says. "The Computer acknowledges the pass down."

John goes to say. "I am happy the main computer, likes me."

All stand and commence to applaud to the incoming and outgoing Commanders. Each personnel shake hands with both of them. Alan walks in seen what is going on and he approaches Gorski to shake his hand. "You will be miss sir."

"Alan you are a plus in this little community of ours, and you have your old squadron Commander, back."

Alan steps to the side to be in front of John, and the skillful pilot says. "Yes sir, I will take care of him, and I think we are even with the Cyprus situation."

"I hope we are."

Helena's comm-link vibrates, and she reads it. She puts it back on her belt and says to the two Commanders. "I am sorry, but I have to leave. I have two wounded patients been flown from the E-Collider main facility."

"Yes, of course." John said, and Russell walks out. "Gorski gets closer to John and says. "Did she say the E-Collider?"

"Oh no… you have an Eagle to catch. That is my headache now."

"Okay, okay. I was just asking."

At that same time in the Tsiolkovsky crater. "It is time."

"Okay, run the program." One of the civilians hits a key in one of the boards in the communication shed, and all the screens come alive as the communications computers receive an upload."

"It is done. Let's go to our next appointment."

Then one by one all the Exo-Moon communication screens in Alpha's Mission Center go out. The communications tech, Jack Crawford, commences diagnosing the problem. He changes channels, but all he gets in each channel is the transmitted signals from outside Alpha mixed with static and in other channels only static. "Sandra."

Sandra slowly turns away from the festive gathering to turn toward Jack, and he says. "Sandra, look at this."

"What is it, Jackie?"

"All the Exo-comm links are out." Sandra does the same as Jack did to find the problem with the same results and she says. "Run an analytic routine on this and have Chief Zoref check this out. She might reassign some of her teams to check the hardware."

"Okay."

.

Emergent.

.

Helena is in the tram on her way to the hospital, and she once more grabs her comm-link and calls. "Doctor Mathias." The call is received, and Mathias goes to say. "Yes, Doctor."

"Who are the two emergencies?"

"Doctor Maya Roberts and her secretary Mary Johnson."

"Wait, Dr. Roberts… the Doctor Roberts?"

"Yes, they were found unconscious in Dr. Roberts's office after her call for security."

"What happen?"

"Someone broke into the facility, beyond that no one knows."

The tram stops as Helena stands walking out. "I am at the tram terminal of the hospital. Who is taking care of them?"

"Doctor Spencer, you want me to call Nuñez?"

"He was on call last. Let him sleep. I will be there is a moment."

"The two women are in the ER area. I call, Doctor Newman."

"Newman, are they burn?"

"Only Doctor Roberts's face shows signs of facial burns… I have never seen something like that before."

"I am in the ER. What room?"

"47-B and I am standing outside."

Helena passes the front desk and enters to the back of the ward. She turns the corner and sees Mathias waving at her. Russell approaches him, and Mathias gives her an E-pad. Helena reviews the information and says. "So, Ms. Johnson is in the step-down unit."

"She is unconscious with no visible injuries, we are sending her to scanning, but Dr. Roberts's face is disfigured only her epidermis is showing a strange discoloration." As Mathias speaks, Helena puts on a medical P.P.E gown and facial mask. Both enter as Doctor Spencer checks his patient.

Helena asks. "What we have here?" Spencer answers. "All bio-metric functions are normal. The lab is working on her blood, but the problem is the face."

"No burn marks on her attire?"

"None, she was wearing a polo shirt, jeans, and runner shoes. None show burns or radiation."

Helena gets closer to Roberts and looks at her face. "Her eyebrows hairs like little circular scales."

"They resemble antennae and look at her cheeks on both sides of the head. They have a purple colored pattern."

"They are symmetrical in shape, like long sideburns. Connect her to the encephalic-scanner."

"Yes, Doctor." As Spencer prepares the scanner, Helena walks to the other side of the room and asks Mathias.

"Do they have families here?"

"Ms. Jonson's husband is on his way. Doctor Roberts's parents are on Earth, and we just started having problems with communications to contact them. However, legally… well, Dr. Roberts's ex-husband is Major Verdeschi."

"I know Tony. He can't take legal decisions for her. Okay, I will put her under the medical assessments act until she recovers or we contact her parents."

"I have not informed the Major pending your approval."

"Legally we can't but as a friend of his. I will contact him when appropriate. In the meantime…" Helena is interrupted by a call over the hospital speakers. "Doctor Russell, you are needed urgently in the Iso-ward."

She grabs her comm-link and asks. "What happen?" The head nurse in turn replies. "Doctor, all the patients are waking up."

"All of them?"

"Yes, the glow in their eyes is gone, and all the readings are normal."

"I am on my way." Helena turns to Spencer and says. "Take care of her. Mathias, come with me the patients in the isolation ward are awake."

"What?" That is all he said as both take their P.P.E apparel of them and they walk out.

.

The second act.

.

In Alpha's civilian port John is escorting Gorski to the Eagle that is taking the former commander to Earth. Both men are in the terminal at the gate, and Gorski looks at his watch once more.

John goes to say in a jovial tone. "You have been watching that watch since the pass down. The Eagle is not leaving you behind."

"Oh, have I been doing that? I guess I am worried that Margaret has not called and now the communications are sporadic. Solar flares?"

"We will find out. Now get onboard." Both men shake hands, and Gorski says. "Take care of her."

"I will, now go on and I expect you to come and visit as a tourist."

"Yea, I never went to the Apollo 11 museum. Do that for me."

"Will do that in six months with your family and send my regards to Catherina and the kids."

"I will." Gorski turns around and walks into the service bridge, and he enters the Eagle. The airlock closes, and then John turns around walking toward the tram terminal.

He enters the tram and the tubular transport takes him toward the command area of Alpha. John is deep in his thoughts trying to solve the mystery of the unknown energy and the strange structure underground that thus far it seems to extend to the point that Victor things it could engulf the entire Moon as an inner shell at 50 miles under the surface.

John arrives at the command area terminal and exits the tram. As he walks one of the center's officers, Yasko Sato, approaches him. "Sir, these are the reports you requested about the communications failures."

"Thank you, did Paul look at them?"

"Yes, so Sandra and Chief Zoref."

"Who is Zoref?"

"Alice Zoref is the power and utility officer. She works for Sandra."

"When you say Chief Zoref is the utility officer you mean she is the chief engineer?"

"Yes sir she upkeeps the comm network hardware, which falls under her section as part of the utilities. She is a very bright young woman."

"I am sure she is, but also water distribution, the power grid, and the fusion reactors fall under her."

"That is under Zoref's section as well sir."

"And you?"

"I am the Logistics officer I work for Sandra. All tasks concerning operations in Alpha condensate into three departments run by Paul, Sandra, and Kano."

John smile and says. "I am sure I know something about that. The, none operation departments like, sciences, medical or aerospace have to coordinate with Paul who then decides if he coordinates a task request himself or to pass it to Sandra or Kano but most of the time all three departments work in unison."

Yasko shyly smiles and slightly looks down then looks up to say. "Sorry sir, I know you know. You will see that the members of different departments can take charge of the other officer's functions in the mission control depending on the workload of the schedules. Commander Gorski cross trained us that way."

"So you can fly an Eagle?"

"Yes, sir, I have a class one certification so all the members of mission control."

"Class one, none atmospheric flight."

"That is correct. I can't fly an Eagle on Earth or dock with a moving space station also I can't land in a site without a landing pad."

"I guess Alan and his pilots would not have a job if all had a class two flight certification. Now, what have you found out about the communications problems?"

"Well, the main computer is still in analytic routine mode and made things slower but is a failure on the ground. What we think is a cascading hardware problem, some ionization that strangely does not affect personal devices or close circuit links. So far there is no sign of a virus, but we are not taking that out, yet."

"Space weather?"

"All the observatories as the Stephen Hawking radio telescope report the space weather to be clear. We are all looking up and into our systems, but we can't find the problem. All communications across the Moon are done by land lines."

John and Yasko enter the Mission Control, and John looks about and turns to Yasko. "Thank you for your information."

"Oh, sir… is my job to help in all I can. If you excuse me, I have to work."

"Go ahead." Then John walks straight to Paul. "Did you reach the I.L.O?"

"I have managed to contact the Antares space station a couple of times, and they are okay. I received a message from Huston with the space weather report and after that nothing. We are still receiving commercial broadcasts from Earth mixed with heavy static."

"At least we are getting something but not what we want."

"Sir, this is getting worst and…" A loud intermittent beeping alarm is heard in the center, and all the screens open a window with a red background and yellow letters. The Holo-sphere shows the same.

Then an automated voice is heard after the alarm. "Break… break… this is E.C.M code Exodus… break… break. Main station confirmation codes required."

All look at the screens as John and then all eyes turn to him. Sandra goes to say. "Something big happened." Then John turns to Kano and says. "Give the codes and confirm this."

Kano gives the codes sent from Earth in an E-pad to John. He looks at them, and he heads to his office. He walks to the safe and opens it pulling a red metallic briefcase. He opens the case and connects a wire to his desk. He searches among several envelops for the envelope with the codes he received.

He opens the envelope and reads the instructions from a paper. "Paul, come to my office." Paul stands and in a brisk pace enters the office. "Yes sir."

"This message is an Exodus code level five. The total evacuation of all humans on the Moon, in your station you will enter this code. That will open a document with the step by step procedures the Alpha Base Commander has to follow. Read it, do what it says and delegate to whom you need on this."

"Yes sir." As Paul turns, Johns says. "Wait, I have to input my codes to confirm the Exodus action."

John inputs his code in a pad inside the briefcase. Then the automated voice is heard again. "Exodus action codes are confirmed. All-time devises are reset to a 72 hours countdown."

"Now go." Paul runs to his station as John walks to the edge of the stairs overlooking the control center. "Kano, do you have a confirmation of the source from where the Exodus alert was sent?"

"Sir, all points to Earth, from the I.L.O headquarters."

"I want a clear communication with anyone in the I.L.O."

"Yes sir."

"Sandra, connect me with the Antares station may be they can relay a message to confirm this."

Sandra tries to open a channel to the Antares and no contact. She turns to the communications tech on duty, and Sandra says. "Jackie, can you bust the signal?"

"Sandra, the transceiver is at full. All I am getting is static."

"Jackie, go again over all the channels, transponders and satellites for a decent signal."

"Yes, Sandra."

Then Sandra turns to John to say. "Sir, in the past two hours it has been like this. Between us and Antares station or Earth we have comm problems and are getting worst. But according to the Antares, they have perfect two-way communication with Earth."

"Paul, have Alan fly to the station and tell him he is our runner to contact Earth. I need this Exodus message verified. "

"Yes sir."

The John addresses the whole center. "Okay people, we have 72 hours to evacuate the Moon. All commercial flights are to be re-routed to take people either to the Antares station or straight to Earth. I want all commercial cable broadcasts to send the alert to the public. Paul, contact Major Verdeschi had him post extra security in the flight terminals."

"Yes sir."

"I don't know what happened on Earth or what they see is headed toward us. I do hope is only the malfunction in the Exo-comm system that we have. Paul will assign new duties related to the evacuation. Alpha personnel will be last to leave. That is all."

Victor walks into the center and John motions his hand as to talk to him. "John. Who activated the Exodus activation?"

"The I.L.O."

"Have you talked to Margaret?"

"Not yet. I send Alan to the Antares station to contact Earth. I don't know what is going on and the Exo-comm link failure makes it worse."

"I received a message from Dr. Russell she wants you to go to the hospital. The patients are awake."

"I can't leave, not now."

"Call her then."

John turns around and walks followed by Victor to his desk. He leans over and calls. "Doctor Russell." The connection is made, and Helena appears on the screen. "Victor just told me."

"Commander, you activated the Exodus protocol?"

"Well, not on my own but the I.L.O sent the message. We have 72 hours to evacuate the Moon. Your patients in critical condition are your priority."

"I will not do otherwise on my own… the patients woke up, and they are okay. They do not remember anything but a high pitch noise just before they lost consciousness."

At that moment Tony walks into the center, and John sees him. As he talks to Helena over the link John waves at Tony to approach his desk. "Doctor, are those patients fit to fly?"

"Yes but I have a recent arrival, Doctor Roberts, the director of the E-Collider. She might be one of the last patients to leave."

Tony hears this and walks in view of the screen John and Helena are conversing through. "Doctor, I received a report from the private security in the E-Collider, and they never mention her. Why you did not call me?"

"You know why, Tony."

"I am on my way." As Tony commences to walk John in a stern tone says to the young officer. "Major. Stand fast right there. I need to talk to you!"

"Yes, sir." Helena adds. "Tony legally you can't make decisions for her."

"We never sign the papers."

"What? But you told me that all was done?"

"I was angry at her when I told you that, but Maya and I pushed the papers in our faces, but none of us sign them." John goes to ask somewhat astonished by the revelation. "Major, are you the husband of Dr. Roberts?"

"Yes, sir I still am."

"Who is your second, is it Lt. Alexander?"

"Yes sir."

"Have Alexander come here. You go and see your wife but make it a quick visit. I expect you to be here in one hour."

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir."

As Tony walks out, he grabs his comm-pad and calls for Alexander. Victor goes to say. "I remember those days, young love in action."

"Helena he is on his way."

"Thank you… John. I need Eagles to move critical patients from the outside medical clinics."

"You will have them."

"Thank you, Russell out."

"John, now what?"

"Victor, we have to evacuate 200,000 souls from the Moon in 72 hours."

.

Behind the curtain.

.

Alan and his co-pilot Torens approach the Antares space station. "Antares control, this is Eagle one, we need a vector for landing procedures."

No one answers. Torrens looks at his instruments and say. "We are transmitting five by five. Would they have the same problem we have in Alpha with their communications?"

"Check other channels. There are 785 permanent crew plus transient travelers in that thing. Someone must be using a radio."

"Okay. You think Commander Gorski is onboard the station?"

"His Eagle was a straight flight to Switzerland. Let's dock."

"Alan without traffic control clearance, we could hit something."

"So, we have orders from the Alpha Commander. If we get a ticket, you will pay for it."

"Yea right."

The Eagle approaches the hangar bay matching the speed and rotation of the station. Alan enters the Eagle slowly as to avoid an accident but no traffic is seen.

He lands the Eagle in one of the pads and shot down the engines. The two pilots wait for a few minutes, but no one comes to receive them. "At least the flight line crew should be about." Torens said. Alan asks. "Did the radio scanner catch any signals?"

"None, just static." Alan gets out from his seat and says. "At least we have the suits on already. Let's walk in."

"Well, you are the boss."

The two come out from the Eagle headed to the airlock, Torens looks about the hangar and says. "Hey, are those the new Shado fighters."

"Yea, I thought we had enough of them already."

The pair keeps walking reaching the airlock, and they enter the station's pressurized section. As they close the inner door behind them, Torens is about to take his helmet off when Alan puts his hand on Torens forearm stopping him.

"Hey, I want this off."

"There is no pressure here."

"How do you know? The board on the door was green."

"Look over there."

Torens turns to the direction Alan is pointing, and they encounter several bodies on the deck. Blood is coming out of their eyes, nose and ears as any part at the surface of the skin that contains vascular veins. Their faces are as if they were gasping for air.

"Oh, crap!"

"Yes, big time crap. Let's reach the mission control area."

The two astronauts walk through the station, and all they find is dead personnel killed by a massive depressurization in the station. Gravity and lights continue to work.

They reach the mission control of the station, and the doors to the emergency airlock are close. Alan looks at the panel next to the door and goes to say. "There is pressure in there."

"The change room airlock had a green light, remember."

"Don't take your helmet."

They open the outer door entering the airlock and once in, Alan closes the outer door then the inner door opens into the station's mission control area. As they enter, both are pushed forward with force and roll down the stairs.

Alan and Torens are face to face with the barrel of a military grade Electro-Laser rifle. As they seat on the deck, both pilots raise their hands as a woman talks to someone seating in the commander's chair facing away from them.

Alan counts 20 armed men and women wearing civilian spacesuits but without the helmets. Two of them are pointing weapons at them as the others operate the command stations. The woman walks to Alan and Torens then she says as she makes the astronaut hand signal that both prisoners know well. "Take your helmets off."

Slowly, Alan and Torens take the helmets and wait. A male voice is heard from the chair saying. "Welcome to Liberum Luna, gentlemen." Alan's eyes open wide and slowly his speech returns for him to say. "Commander Gorski?"

The chair pivots around and Alton Gorski is seating on the chair. Alan goes to ask. "Are you… well, are you helping here?"

"If I heard a distress call from Antares and diverted my Eagle to come to help. Is that your question?"

"Yes, sir."

"No, I caused the distress here and the communications problems down on the Moon."

"You, but why?"

"Ha, my good friend, if you have read the history books. You will see why."

"Why?"

"Humankind since the start of the 20th century has been destroying the ecosystem of the Earth, and even in the latter quarter of the 20th century, and throughout the 21st we could have turn everything around by already knowing at that time the damage we were causing. Humans continued to pump trillions of tons of pollutants a year. Oceans devoid of marine life, the Amazon rainforest all gone and The Amazon River is a zest pool of poisons so all mayor rivers on Earth."

"But all that is changing."

"It is too late unless all the financial power of Earth is diverted to repair the damage but the financial powers at the top don't want to. These are old men and women that have at most 20 to 30 more years of life, and they don't care what is to happen 100 years after they die. That same elk of people feared to come to the Moon because helium-3 was the death sentence of fusil fuels and all their finances were based on oil."

Torens goes to say. "Excuse me Commander but… didn't you murder 700 some people on this station? You talk of saving the world, but you killed all these people."

"And more will die, the end justifies the means. Right now, I have hundreds of my associates on the Moon. Hiding to take it over and use it as a platform to return to Earth what was taken from her in the past 200 years. We have a new weapon that will make this happen." Alan goes to ask. "So you are behind the illness on the Moon."

"Although the weapon was meant to kill it did something unforeseen. I guess it has to do with the staggering amounts of Tachyons. You would need to calibrate your sensors and look from above to see the mist forming around the Moon."

"You are out of your mind. Tachyons don't exist but in science fiction."

"But they do, and just this morning I found their source under the Moon's surface. You see Alan. The E-Collider is pulling them from this underground source. The more the E-Collider is used, the more Tachyons come out from this underground source and who knows what would happen if the collider is used at its maximum capacity."

"Nothing will happen."

"I don't want to see the E-Collider working at its full capacity with all those Tachyons floating around."

"Even if Tachyons do exist are they supposed to zoom away?"

"The Tachyons stay around the Moon pulled by an advance technology, the underground source I mention before and eventually I will learn to use."

"Now that you're grand villain monolog is done what are you going to do with us?"

"Well, I could order your immediate execution but like any movie villain I will put you two in the station's brig, and you will die there. Part of the plan is to destroy the station anyway. So I will say, Proshchay Alan. Take them away."

As the two astronauts are taken out of the large room, the woman approaches Gorski and asks. "What if Koenig sends more pilots?"

"We do as we just did to these two if that happens. However, keep sending sporadic communications to Alpha mixed with static but send one clear signal that this two arrived and are doing well in the next minute."

"Okay. When is the grand final?"

"Ten minutes after you send the message about our visitors being in good health among friends, send one clear message to Alpha that Antares station is under the Exodus directive and all flights from the Moon are to travel directly to Earth then reestablish the atmosphere in the station and double the amount of O2."

"You want a big explosion."

"Yes, I do. Thirty minutes later we depart blowing up the station."

"All as planned."

"All as planned and we save the Earth."

.

Maya.

.

Tony arrives at the hospital and walks into the ER. He approaches the reception counter. "I am the husband of Maya Roberts. She came in not more than an hour ago." The nurse looks at her screen and says. "She was moved to the M.I.C.U on the fourth floor."

"Thank you." He walks out of the ER to the elevators in the main lobby, when over the announcement system a message is heard. "Code Orange, code orange M.I.C.U. Code Orange…" Tony knows that means a disruptive patient and does not wait for the elevator taking the stairs.

He arrives at the fourth floor, and he sees nurses pushing patients out of the Medical Intensive Care Unit. He looks toward the entrance seen the base security officers that are posted in the hospital line up to go in once the medical staff orders them too. Tony walks toward them, and he asks. "Sergeant, what is going on?"

"One of the patients is destroying all in there. Two nurses are hurt, and the first security officer that arrived is on his way to the ER."

"Who is the patient?"

"Some big wig doctor from the E-collider started a ruckus."

Tony's blood froze after hearing the sergeant's description of the disruptive patient, and he looks through the small glass window of the door. Suddenly the lights inside the ward go out, and a nurse runs out. "All the patients are out. You can go in."

Tony tells the nurse. "Go and stay with your patients."

"Don't tell me that twice." And she leaves. The sergeant turns around and says to the officers. "Okay, even numbers in the line move to the left uneven to the right as we enter the ward. Once the patient is sighted, we all jump at once."

"Delay that."

"Major?"

"I will go in first if I need you I will yell."

"Okay sir but at least let me go with you."

"Stay here." Tony opens the door and goes into the darkness. He turns on his body light as he walks looking into each room and sees no one.

Then from the corner of his eye, he sees the fast-moving figure of a large quadruped, but he is not sure.

He moves toward the movement, and from behind the nurse's station, a jet black Mackenzie Valley Wolf jumps over Tony. He manages to get a hold of the beast neck, but its jaws are getting closer to Tony's head.

He closes his eyes, and in a lamented tone of voice, he says as the inevitable jaws of death getting closer. "Goodbye, my beloved Maya."

The animal stops its attack and as a despairing canine would do it softly whimpers. Then it moves from on top of Tony, and the animal lays on the ground.

Tony pulls his service weapon and points it to the animal, and for Tony's surprise, the large wolf changes form and now he sees a naked Maya seating on the floor.

She opens her arms toward Tony, and she says. "Tony, please help me. I don't know what happen to me."

Tony walks toward her grabbing a blanket covering her with it, and Tony lifts Maya cradling her in his arms.

"Oh, baby… I don't know what happen, but Doctor Russell will help us." She embeds her face on Tony's neck, he feels her tears, and she says. "Will help us… I like the plural of it."

"Yes, hon we are still plural." Tony walks out and tells the sergeant. "Have your team check for more people in there."

"Yes, sir."

Helena and Doctor Mathias approach Tony holding Maya in his arms. "Tony, what happened in there? The nurses saw a large dog after Maya became combative."

"I don't know how but… okay, doc where you want Maya to be?"

"Down in the Iso-ward. I have a gurney for her."

"That is okay doc. I have wanted to carry my wife for a while now."

"And you to carry me, just for a snuggly while." Doctor Russell looks at Maya and says. "She is awake."

"Yes doctor, I been awake and please no mirrors." Tony tries to look at Maya's face, but she hides it under the blanket. "Please, Tony, take me to where the Doctor wants me to be."

"Okay. You lead the way Doctor."

"Follow me."

.

The Exodus.

.

Sandra is at her station and receives a second clear message from the Antares station. She reads it and calls the Commander. "Sir, I received a message from Antares. They are under the Exodus directive as well. All flights from the Moon have to go straight to Earth."

"I was hoping to turn around most of the flights to pick up more people on the Moon. How is the evacuation going?"

"The Stephen Hawking radio telescope, the Apollo Museums, and all the lunar hotels are close. All their personnel and hotel guests are accounted on their way here in Eagles. The education intendant reports all students have been picked up by the parents. All other commercial and scientific sites have been evacuated at this moment by Eagles in a few hours they will arrive here. All the outside medical centers have been evacuated except for the medical center in the Gagarin crater that at this moment are being evacuated by a wing of Eagles. That will take time."

"What about the mines?"

"The mining facilities are close as the Helium-3 refineries. All their personnel are here or in route a few hours away from Alpha in Eagles. The nearby facilities and mines personnel are on the road. All ground vehicles are being parked at the north side of Alpha's main gate. Except for the mine in the Hipparchus crater, which still waiting for the Eagles we rerouted to the Gagarin crater."

"What about the E-Collider personnel?"

"Half of them arrived in Eagles, but we had to redirect the flights we were using to bring the rest of the E-Collider personnel to pick the patients in the Gagarin crater medical center."

"So it is only the mine at the Hipparchus crater and the E-Collider personnel waiting. The rest of the facilities either their personnel are in route using land vehicles or Eagles are picking them up or about to. How long the miners and the E-Collider personnel have to wait?"

"The miners in the Hipparchus crater are okay with waiting. But the E-Collider personnel left the facility already in ground vehicles to come here traveling on highway 36."

"We have no wireless communication to know if they are okay on their way here. Who is in charge of the E-Collider people?"

"Dr. Cabot Rowland and I told him to wait, but he didn't want to listen. They will stop at the mining facility in the Hipparchus crater and use a landline to check in. If the Eagles don't arrive, they will continue on the highway."

"They will be the last leaving. Have you heard from Alan?"

"Not directly from Alan sir, the comm officer of the Antares reported that they arrived fine. Then the communications fail again."

"Keep me posted Sandra. Kano."

"Yes sir."

"Is the analytic routine procedures of the main computer completed?"

"No, sir."

"What would happen if you stop the analytic routine, now?"

"I would have to shut down the main computer and reboot the entire system. It will take a long time uploading the main computer memories. At least we have a computer now. Also if the computer reboots all systems dependent on the computer might shut down."

"Utilities, atmosphere scrubbers and the reactors, we can't lose those. Is there an auxiliary system that we can use?"

"The auxiliary systems are the secondary systems and have to be prep before the analytic routine is initiated to diverting part of the massive workload from the main computer to them."

"Then it is too late to use any secondary computation systems."

"Yes, sir."

"Is there any other computer on the Moon that performs close to ours that we could use to sustain the utility support systems if you disengage the main computer from the analytic routine and during the reboot?"

"Yes, sir and the only other computer close to ours is the mainframe in the E-Collider center."

"Make the connection and once done, reboot the main computer."

"I would have to send a team there. Set a direct landline link and once that is done I will pass those tasks from our computer to the E-Collider mainframe. That would help us a lot."

.

Clarity in the smoke.

.

Victor walks into John's office, and he says. "John, you call for me?"

"Yes, seat down. What have you found out about that wall?"

"Before the Exodus directive was enacted Dr. Carolyn Powell surveyed other sites around the Moon and the wall was there. That confirms my suspicions that the lower crust of the Moon is that structure. All indicates that this spherical structure was not cover as it is now."

"Is not is not extending in a specific finite area and how you know it was not covered in the past?"

"The debris and dust as other geological agents on the lunar surface are innate of our solar system. So, the accumulation of dust, dirt, as the impacts of other Astro-bodies covered the structure in a term of millions of years."

"You know what you are implying by stating millions and not billions of years?"

"I know what my assumption is implying, that the Moon did not undergo the process we have always assumed."

"So the Moon is artificial."

"There are legends and myths of ancient civilizations that describe a Moonless Earth."

"Victor, this challenge all we know about the Moon. I can't believe that the Moon could be an artificial mechanism or it could even be a ship as per your statement of a Moonless Earth."

"Yet, it is 60 miles under our feet, and I can show you the ancient legends of several emergent civilizations from over 5,000 years ago."

John takes a deep breath as he stretches his upper body as to take in what he just learned. Then he turns to Victor and says. "Wow, okay. The dozer operating on its own, could it be related to the structure as the woman that attacked the miners and the security team?"

"I don't know but all this happening in the past two weeks, the illness, and dozer working without an operator discovering the structure, the mystery woman, now the communications problems. In my subjective opinion, this is not coincidental."

"Are they related?"

"Maybe they are all related, or in parts, I don't know yet. Also, I just found out through two techs of the E-Collider that it was not working properly for the past two weeks ago."

"How?"

"According to the two techs, Mike and Steve, the first stage accelerators were pushing the hydrogen cores faster than the speed of light. They believe that Tachyons pulled the cores along with them. Do you remember what I told you and Commander Gorski?"

"I remember the Meta-signal. The unknown radiant energy could it be Tachyons?"

"The Meta-signal could be a byproduct of the interaction of Tachyons with bio-gel computers and humans." Victor abruptly stays silent looks down and slowly looks at John as the old Doctor had an epiphany. "John, the only machine on the Moon with the power to pull Tachyons from their realm is the E-Collider."

"Then the link to the illness is the collider. Um? What happened first?"

"What do you mean?"

"Victor, do you have the dates of the collider's malfunctions?"

"Right here." Victor gives the pad to John, and then he slides an E-pad with all the information of the patients affected by the illness already on his desk. Victor bends his torso closer to the desk, and John says. "Um?"

"What do you found?"

"The malfunctions of the E-Collider happen after the first report of the illness, at least three days apart."

"If it is not the collider then what could have done that?"

John stays silent connecting the dots in his mind, and then he says. "Check again all that you have on the vehicles especially the first one. I want you to look for a signature of a high energy direct pulse, the kind that could interact with Tachyons."

"Are you referring to a weapon, how you jump to that?"

"Anton never thought of a weapon that is why the illness was seen as a natural caused effect."

"John, that is a reasonable conclusion, Anton and I agreed on that. The E-Collider is the perfect suspect. The illness happened by Tachyons from the collider, and three days later the accumulation of them affected the collider systems. What I don't is how Tachyons can stay in lower states of energy and even to lingered in a specific area for long periods. "

"Victor, I have to think that is a weapon that can produce an energy pulse that affects Tachyons. The illness started first only affecting flights and land vehicles, correct?"

"Yes."

"The E-Collider by accident trapped the Tachyons brought to our plane by the use of this weapon because the weapon needs to siphon power from the collider."

"Well, following your military point of view…Then the weapon has to be close to the collider to be powered, the collider was functioning at the time and attracted the Tachyons, thus the collider's malfunctions later on."

"Victor, the days the collider was used as per these reports, matches with the same days when the passengers of a flight acquired the illness. This is a perfect match."

"A weapon like that would be of a gravitational nature. John, the E-Collider been the main suspect, is more plausible than a weapon."

"The collider malfunctions also happen on days that were no affected flights, and none of the personnel of the E-Collider was ever affected even during E.V.A work at the site. If it were as you are suggesting, all humans and bio-computers in the E-Collider project would have been affected first than a random flight miles away from the collider."

"Yes, you are right."

"I bet you that a link was created between the source of the Tachyons and the collider to continue malfunctioning, accumulating up to the point that our communications are failing. The last collider test was, according to the logs, today. "

"So, the E-Collider has been introducing more Tachyons trough a connection without the use of the weapon."

"Correct but there is something else here, um?"

"What else is there John? A weapon has been used. The E-Collider gathered enough Tachyons to disrupt our communications and the illness is an act of terrorists."

"In all this, the dozer does not have the common denominator of the Tachyons. It dug a tunnel for us to find out about the structure and neither has a connection with Tachyons."

"Also that woman from the mine that attacked Major Verdeschi and his security people neither she is connected to Tachyons. It is like the dozer incident, the structure and her are connected among them."

"I mean, let's face it, Victor. That woman ripped apart a 4 feet thick airlock access from its hinges. No one in the mine has seen her before and Verdeschi and Alexander, they swear she ran on the pressures less surface of the Moon without a spacesuit under sunlight."

"Has any security patrol found her?"

"Well, according to Dr. Russell. That woman is in her hospital but not as she was in her first appearance."

.

Tied spaces and sacred places.

.

Alan and Torens are seating in the brig. Their helmets were taken away to avoid their escape. Both pilots do not know when the end will arrive. Alan looks at the pressure indicator on the door panel and says. "They reestablish the atmosphere."

"Another green light, but look at the oxygen is passing the green line."

"I think they want to blow up this station really good."

"Now we can reach the Eagle."

"How?" Alan points to the cell door, and Torens looks down saying. "At least the kid did not come with us."

"Bill? Yea, he can live as long as we have."

The door of the brig is unlocked, and the two pilots stand, and Torrens goes to say. "I think they change their minds. I hope it will be quick."

The door opens halfway, and an astronaut wearing the I.L.O orange suit enters closing the door behind. Alan looks at the patches and is an Antares, station member. The astronaut opens the cell and raises the helmet visor. Alan looks at the young woman's face, and he says with surprise. "Aren't you the daughter of Clive Kander?"

"Yes, Melisa. You must be Alan?"

"Yes, we met once in the old I.L.O Tranquility Base."

"Well, that and your Canadian accent that is why I recognized you."

Alan's eyes open wide and say with pride. "I am Australian." She smiles and says. "Yes, I know. We have to go. Your Eagle is still in the hangar bay."

Melisa walks out, and Torens goes to say as he passes Alan. "I am Canadian, and it is fun being one. We should hop along to our Eagle."

"Yea, we have jokes."

Then the trio runs down the hallway toward the hangar. Alan asks. "What happened here?"

"There was an emergency call for all station personnel out in an E.V.A to enter the station due to a massive solar flare. I was a bit late getting inside. I had to finish fixing one of the comm modules of the main dish. When I enter the change room, the pressure was zero and all dead."

"Did you saw those civilians with weapons?"

"I saw them by airlock 20. They were receiving someone that came in an Eagle. I hide by moving positions. Those goons found crew members alive, and they shot them. I saw you two been move to the brig, and here we are running for our lives."

They arrive at the change room, Alan and Torens grab helmets then both check each other's seals. Melisa is already by the airlock with her visor secure. The inner door closes, and then the outer one opens.

They step into the hangar and run to where the Eagle is at. All three stop as their hearts drop to their stomachs. "They blow up the Eagle." Torens said Alan looks about and says. "They took the Shado fighters."

"What do we do, all these other vehicles are for hangar operations." Melisa said as Alan looks around for a space fearing vehicle of any kind. Then Alan looks at the Eagle and says. "The cockpit module is facing out."

"Oh, no boss. What are you are thinking?"

"We disengage the module. The explosive releases will give us a push out, and then we use the maneuvering engines."

"But the module is to be used in space or under 1,000 feet over the surface."

"You just want to float in orbit until Alpha sends help?" Melisa asked, and Alan shakes his head. "No, if we call in for help Gorski and his goons can come back in their Shado fighters and still we have to clear the station's debris. We have to go down."

Then the gigantic space structure shakes and all the lights in the hangar go out. After that Torens and Melisa do not argue with Alan as they run. They enter through the explosive cavity on the top of the Eagle and enter the module.

Alan activates the emergency power and once the systems are online Torens and Alan do the ejection procedures of the module. Melisa seats in the middle. Then Alan goes to say. "We are ready. Young lady come here."

"On your lap!?"

"Do you want to smash your big head against the console?"

"No." Alan extends the restraints and locks Melisa in place. "Torens, now!"

They jolt backward as the module moves forward. It clears the station and the best way both pilots can. They maneuver the module in a tangent gradient toward the surface. They see large pieces of metal passing them by, and Melisa says. "Antares station is gone."

"I hope we don't get hit… oh, shit!"

A large panel moves in front and Alan maneuvers under it and then a second large fragment moves from the right, and he turns to port. They lost their angle of descend that would allow them to survive the landing.

Alan as Torens moved the nose up. "We have 28 seconds of fuel!" Torens said. Then Alan uses all the fuel to slow down, and they continue to fall at a much slower speed, but the momentum of the fall commences to increase the speed again.

"Boss, I have no joy, and we are at least at one angel high!"

"Will make it."

"That ground is coming up pretty fast." Melisa said, and then Alan opens all the atmosphere valves, and the vented air slows down the craft then they hit the surface. A large plum rises as the module skips two more times on the surface.

The power is out, and Alan releases his harness. Melisa moves slowly to the center, and Alan says. "Is everyone ok?"

"I Am." Melisa said, and Torens goes to say. "I think I broke my left leg."

"But you are okay, no suit decompression?" Torrens looks at his forearm pad and says. "I am all sealed up."

"Melisa, help me pull this sickbay call clown out."

Minutes later they are outside and seating on a hill looking down. Alan is using carbon laced sealing tape to constrict the movement of Torens leg the best he could. Melisa looks to her right in the valley and asks. "What is that over there?"

Alan finishes taping Torens leg, and he asks him. "Can you move your toes?"

"Yes."

"Okay, stay here."

"As if I could walk."

Alan walks toward Melisa as she points in the distance. "What are those?"

"It is a small structure and equipment that means air, heat, and communications. Help me with Torrens."

"Okay."

After an hour of walking, they enter the small structure and find no one. They take their helmets off, and Alan seats Torens in a large sofa. Alan says. "Activate the oxygen collectors of the suits. Melisa, look for a way to call Alpha."

"Okay."

"Boss, where are we?"

"In a museum."

"Alan, the phone lines are down, and the wireless is just a garble of static."

"Melisa, look outside for a vehicle, we must be close to a major highway."

"I already looked and found one."

"Let's use it."

A few minutes later the trio is outside, Torrens is between Alan and Melisa as they look over a small three-foot cement wall.

Alan as Torens are the kind of men that could not be stopped by any obstacle, but this time the two harden pilots are being held by the little three-foot wall.

Torrens goes to say. "Alan that is sacred ground for us, we can't walk in there."

Melisa says in a nonchalant tone. "The only problem I see is pushing it over this wall."

Alan and Torens almost snap their necks turning to Melisa and Alan says in a stern tone to her. "We can't just walk in there. That is the Apollo 17 site, look at all those footprints that is history!"

"Oh, craps… excuse me, Mr. Pilot. But, we can't stay, and we can't carry Torens with his hurt paw all the way to Alpha."

The two pilots stay silent thinking on how not to cross. Melisa notices the demander from Alan and Torens then she yells over the link. "Dammed, there is a Moon buggy in there, and we need it!"

"It is called an L.R.V!" Alan yelled.

"Oh, a Moon buggy is too low. Okay, hold Torens for me."

Melisa jumps the wall and commences to walk toward the L.R.V both men put their hands on the top of the wall seen with horror as spaceflight history it is being defiled by a 21 years old girl.

"Please stop!" Alan said, and Melisa turns toward the two pilots. "Oh, yea."

She kicks the dust around creating a small plum. Torens looks down and says in despair. "Oh my, she just erased Jack Schmitt footprints."

.

Veils.

.

Tony Verdeschi is arriving in the mission control center as he walks in he sees most of the personnel either standing or seating, but all are immobile looking at a screen. Tony's pace slows down as he turns his head slowly from side to side observing the at awe group.

Tanya sees Tony, and she approaches him. "Tanya, what happened?"

"The Antares station is gone."

"What do you mean by gone?"

"It exploded."

Tony turns to look into the Commander's office and sees him talking to Paul, Victor, Sandra and one of the pilots. He looks at Tanya and says. "I will be back."

He walks toward John's office. Tony stands at the entrance and John signals him to approach. "… Paul, I want to activate the gravity towers at maximum, I don't want any debris falling on Alpha."

"Yes, sir."

"Sandra, I want a large area cleared near the hospital for a triage area for Doctor Russell."

"Yes, sir."

"Clive, I want you to dispatch two Eagles and try to locate survivors up there."

"Sir, can I be one of the pilots?"

"Why? I need you here. You are the senior chief pilot now."

"I do understand, but my daughter worked in the Antares as a private contractor and… I would like to go, sir."

John puts his hand on Clive's shoulder and says. "I need you here. I am sorry, for what you are going. I need you to pick the right pilots for this mission and to continue coordinating the flights."

"Yes sir, I understand."

"Okay, go and keep me posted."

All three leave to the control floor, and then John turns his attention to Tony. "Major, please sit down."

"Thank you, sir." Then Victor asks. "Major are you familiar with energy weapons?"

"Yes, sir." The John says. "Have you ever heard of a weapon call, the ionized graviton accelerator?"

"Yes, sir I know of the I.G.A's weapons. They are too big and consume too much energy to have a practical use in the field." Victor replies. "For what I read of I.G.A class weapons, they are compared as the WWII German Heavy Gustaf rail gun of our time."

"Yes sir, they are as big. The United States and the Russian Union were building prototypes, but they cost too much to build and to maintain. Those weapons were never fired, and the test was done with small laboratory versions. Wait… does this has to do with the Antares?"

"We don't know." Tony's eyes open wide and John goes to say. "We have been exploring the possibility that such weapon has been used on the Moon. We found interesting correlations with the illness on the flights and the use of the E-Collider tests."

Victor goes to explain. "With the little computer power allocated to my department at the moment and the assumption that the illness was caused by a weapon adding some new information we have with regards to physics. The I.G.A class weapons came up. If the weapon siphons power from the E-Collider during a test, the size would be smaller as the ones you mention used in a lab for testing."

"Tony this weapon it is small enough to fit in the back of a 50-ton land cargo vehicle. We think that one of the tests weapons was brought to the Moon. We are giving you all the information about it and access to all traffic vehicles schedules as satellite imagery."

"Excuse me, sir… doctor but the result of a blast from an I.G.A is the total molecular dispersion of the target. Even the test weapons can be destructive pushing gravitons to 99% the speed of light. That is the energy released from a fusion explosion contained in a compressed beam affecting the fabric of space trough where the beam traverses."

"Well, at the speed of light and yes, affecting the fabric of space. This weapon system in itself is a small quantum accelerator. Besides the cost and high maintenance of the I.G.A weapons they can't be used in an atmosphere that is why the United States and Russia stop their tests." Victor said to the stunned officer.

John adds. "We believe that another force prevented the destructive outcome of the weapon and ended up been something else."

"The illness was caused to prevent the death of the passengers?"

"We believed so, but we don't know if it was accidental or deliberate and by whom." Victor said, and Tony quietly thinks, and then he asks. "The wall down there, it somehow prevented those passengers from dying?"

Victor and John turn to each caught off guard by Tony's revelation, and Victor says. "Then, if that is true, there is an intelligent force at work here."

John goes to say. "Tony, thank you for your insightful comment, but now I want you to find that weapon before it is used again."

"Yes sir." The young officer leaves and John goes to ask Victor. "Could it be possible?"

"It could be. If there is an intelligent something down there that arrived several millions of years ago. It has been waiting for something."

"Maybe, for us. Remember what the woman said in the mine and that pilot to Alan?"

"We have been woken."

"What worries me is the part that both said, we must return."

"John if whatever is down there wants to return let it return."

"Do we have the power to decide if it can leave or stay and what will be the cost for humanity if it leaves?"

"A Moonless Earth?"

.

The nest

.

Several hours later in the Mare Tranquillitatis not far from the Apollo 11 museum, lays the abandon Tranquility Moonbase, the predecessor of Moonbase Alpha. One half of Alpha's size it can accommodate 311 people, but at the moment only one hundred and fifty people are using the lower tunnels of the facility.

"Sir, they activated the gravity towers."

"At full force?"

"Yes, sir they did as you foresee it."

"I would have done the same with all that debris falling about."

"Sir, what about us?"

"This base was built the old fashion way with titanium, and thick reinforces concrete covered under lunar dirt. This base is built to last, but Alpha in the other hand is dependent on those towers. So much it will be their undoing."

One of Anton trusted lieutenants walks standing next to Natasha and says. "We are so deep under Tranquility that no one will find us here as those Alpha security officers that came." Anton replies. "That is correct. But what worries me is why they came?"

One of the techs turns to Gorski and says. "Sir the nuclear repositories have not reported yet."

"They reported arriving at the sites. Which teams have not reported in?"

"Site one and two."

"We need to secure those sites. Natasha, you and someone go to the Gagarin crater to check the repositories."

"I thought you wanted me to lead our team into Alpha?"

"Natasha the repositories are vital for us. You go and check things out. I will send Gloria to Alpha."

"Yes, sir."

"We need to make our next move before the Alpha personnel leaves."

"Why not wait until they leave?"

"Because I am sure that by now, John changed the control codes. We need those towers functioning."

.

The big invisible problems.

.

Natasha and one of the mercenaries, Baxter arrived at the Gagarin crater. As they reach the summit of the crater's edge on the road, they can see site one and far away two. Natasha sees something odd and stops the vehicle facing into the crater. "What happen?"

"Baxter, pass me the scanning binoculars." Baxter does as he looks at the repository compound. He can't see anything odd and asks. "What is wrong?"

"Don't you see it, the lights are out."

"So?" Then from above the site and out of nowhere an electrical arch, as a big bolt of lightning jumps out of the perimeter. A second and then a third one are seen each smaller than the presiding lightning. Both spectators are silent with their mouths open, and Baxter slowly raises his arm and points to say. "Did you saw that shit?"

"I saw it, but I can't believe it."

Natasha again uses the binoculars, but this time she changes the spectrum frequency and not until she reaches the Gamma frequency. She starts to discern the outline of an energy dome similar to a bubble of soap with circular eddies moving on the membrane.

Trap in the interior she sees a strange mist of vivid fluorescent hues moving slowly upward coming out from the vaults where the atomic waste is kept underground.

She changes the frequency to the visible spectrum and zooms in. She sees the vehicle of the missing team and across from it. She sees five motionless bodies on the ground.

"They are dead."

"What?"

"Team one is dead. There is an energy surrounding the site."

"Is it a radiation leak?"

"I have never seen something like that. Is not Gamma, the energy is a perfect dome. Ionizing radiation it looks like an undefined blob of light looking through these binoculars."

"So what is it then?"

"I don't know, but I recorded it in the binoculars. We have to show this to Anton and use our lab equipment to figure it out."

Natasha puts the vehicle in reverse and turns in the direction she drove in. Once again several lightings emerge out of nowhere from above the site, but this time they travel the long distance to hit around the vehicle.

One it's the mark draining the power cells in an instant. The two travelers lower their helmet visors and dismount the vehicle as more lighting furiously hit around them. Natasha, being in better physical shape runs faster than her counterpart that is hit by lightning that in measurements it could rival a sequoia tree.

Natasha quickly turns to look as she continues to run. Baxter's body does not burn as it is customary with the strike of such high yield bolt of energy. She manages to go over the crater's edge out of the line of sight of the invisible attacking force.

She continues to run until she reaches the bottom of the slope as she gasps for air. Natasha looks at his forearm pad to check her oxygen. "Darn!"

Natasha unzips her sleeves to pull two flexible solar panels, and she secures them to her arms. Lowers the battery output and activates the suits carbon-scrubbers.

She looks at the forearm pad again bringing up the GPS screen and commences her long walk to the other side of the Moon.

"At least there is a medical site not far from here."

.

On the road

.

Alan, Torens, and Melisa are traveling south on the lunar highway 65 since Monday. The old L.R.V has worked flawlessly but more so, on the level ground provided by the highway. Alan is driving as Torens seats next to him with his broken leg extended the most he can.

Melisa is in between them taking care of the modern voltage regulator and the batteries they found in the Museum. "Alan, do you know where we are at?"

"Young lady, I know the Moon like the back of my hand. Over to our right is the Plinus crater and to our left behind us is the Dawes crater. In a couple of miles down this road, there is a vehicle service center. Hopefully, we can find better transportation there."

"I was asking because we passed a sign that said, Apollo 11 landing site. We should go and see it."

Torens replies. "For you to erase Neil's footprints… oh, hell no!"

"Torens, she is joking… you are joking?"

"Yes, I am joking… maybe." Then Alan feels something and stops the old vehicle, and Torens asks. "What is it, Alan?"

"Don't you guys feel that?" Melisa answers. "Yes, is like a vibration."

They look about seen the dust on the road as on the sides shake or to gently cascade from the rocks. Then as if there was a fluidic medium around them an almost invisible shock wave is seen coming from the ground as far as they can see. The L.R.V moves gently upward without the wheels losing contact with the road and is all over.

"That was weird. That was a Moonquake?" Melisa asked, and Alan looks about and replies. "I guess that was it although, I have never been on one during an E.V.A." Torens goes to say. "Alan, please. Let's keep going my leg hurts."

"Okay."

.

Detective work.

.

Tony is at his station in the M.C.C, and as everyone else, he is looking about, and he asks Sandra and Paul. "Did you guys felt that?" Paul replies. "Everyone did. We have those every so often. I would say that it was less than a one pointer."

Carolyn Powell is at the science station as she looks at her screens she says. "1.2 in the scale but… um?" Sandra asks. "What is it, Carolyn?"

"The seismic-scanners don't have depth or direction to define an epicenter. All the scanners are telling is that it was a 1.2 in the scale and it happened at 2100 hours, today September the nine. They could be all out of whack too."

"I could look at my wrist comm-link and tell you that."

John and Victor walk up to Tony and John asks. "What have you found?"

"For every flight attacked the collider was used, but only the first stage colliders. On each occasion, a flight was hit near the first stage collider undergoing a test. Now, I was researching on what an I.G.A weapon would need to be operational. The American weapon used a gravity-electromagnetic field, the one used in fusion reactors."

"Okay and the Russian?"

"A rare element called holdeium." Victor's eyes open wide and say correcting Tony. "It is called Holdium… oh, no."

John and Tony turn to look at Victor and John asks. "What happen?" Victor commences looking in his E-pad until he founds what he is looking for. "Tony, you might need this."

Tony reads and smiles as he returns the E-pad to Victor. "Doctor, I found that supply invoice and the customs import documents as the custody statement from the warehouse. Each document is signed by each department head, but all the documents have in common the signature of Commander Gorski."

John examines the documents and says. "All are in order." Tony replies. "Yes sir, they are. However, we seem to have a problem with a possible Holdium based weapon, that by the way… two were reported missing a year ago."

"From who were stolen?"

"They were stolen from the central specials weapons armory in Russia, the two lab test prototypes."

"Who requested the Holdium?"

"The International Moon Construction company they won the contract to demolish the old Tranquility Base to build the first dome city."

"But why they need Holdium?"

"The only construction equipment that would use Holdium is a molecular welding laser. However, Moon Base Tranquility was built with materials that easily can be cut with plasma cutting equipment. Maybe to build the dome city but the construction of it will start in 5 years."

"I remember that Base as if it was yesterday."

"Also check this sir, each of the test weapons needs three tons of Holdium. Guess how many the construction company hauled away?" John answers. "Six tons."

"Yes, sir."

"I am sure before we approach to ask you, send a security team to check the old base?"

"I did, an hour ago. They report all clear. There was no construction equipment and no one around, although someone did use the base recently." Sandra goes to say from her station. "Commander."

"Yes, Sandra?"

"The convoy from the E-Collider personnel arrived at the mine, and all are fine."

"We have Eagles but not transports to take them to Earth, at least not yet." Paul goes to say. "There is a transport on pad 25. It is the Phoenix own by Captain Jack Tanner. It suffered a coolant leak, and it will be ready by Saturday."

"Okay, it will do unless another transport returns from Earth. Talk to Tanner and tell him he might have more passengers."

"Yes, sir."

.

The help you don't need.

.

It is Saturday 12 at 2200 hours. Five days have passed since the new Commander of Moon Base Alpha took the helm. The main computer is back online and operating at optimal capacity and by now the mainframe of the E-Collider center is in synchronous link with Alpha's main computer.

The entire mission control team worked 12 hours shifts during the Exodus protocols, but only three have worked more per shift than the rest, Paul Morrow, Sandra Benes, and Kano Daniels.

Paul is the second in command of Alpha as the Main Command Center Director his department is responsible for the proper conclusion of all tasks concerning the I.L.O on the Moon also the track and control of all flight traffic.

Sandra is the Base Operations Director. Her department is comprised of all the work sections of the base maintaining all the in-house functions and tasks concerning Alpha Base up to the confines of the outside perimeter. Coordinating and scheduling all the jobs with the common goal of maintaining the proper functioning of the base.

Kano Daniels is the digital information operations director his department function is similar to Sandra's department but in the digital realm in the base. Coordinating all computerized operations with the Alpha's main computer. All the computers in Alpha answer to him through the main computer coordinating tasks as receiving and sending information vital to Moonbase Alpha's missions.

Although with some unexpected logistical delays the civilian lunar population is on the Earth since Wednesday early morning. Except for the small group that is about to leave.

Paul is talking with the Captain of the last cargo vehicle to leave the Moon for Earth. "Captain Tanner, you have a go, you are the last traffic to Earth."

"Good, this is my third trip. You guys are paying for the fuel?"

"Yes, sir is all cover by the I.L.O. You can depart whenever you are ready."

The cargo ship lifts off from the loading cargo landing pads and commences its ascent. "Thank you, Alpha control. I am switching to Kennedy traffic control. This is the Phoenix signing off frequency."

Sandra turns to Paul and says. "Finally, the last one and now is our turn to leave."

Paul turns to look toward John's office but sees the doors close. Sandra goes to say. "The Commander is in the hospital talking to Alan."

"I still can't believe they used the Moon buggy from Apollo 17 to come here."

"They had to. All of the land vehicles on the Moon are here. It looks like a large parking lot on the north side of the base."

Alan Carter and Torens are been debrief by John and Victor, and as for Melisa she is in a different ward with her jubilant father. Alan has explained the unbelievable story of a traitor and the cause of all the problems thus far on the Moon.

John and Victor are in a state of disbelieved listening to the two pilots. "… then they blow up the station, and we end up… borrowing, I.L.O historic property." John asks. "How you three made it run?"

"We use some batteries from the museum and put a voltage regulator."

"Good job." Then John's comm-link sounds and John answers. "Yes, Paul."

"Sir, a military transport is arriving on pad number five."

"What kind?"

"It is an American L.S.V with a United Nations transponder, sir."

"I am on my way." John turns to Alan and says. "Until the Doctor gives a pass you are grounded."

"Yes, sir I'll be out with my clip wing."

"Torens, I was talking to Alan."

"Sir, I am good to go."

"Good to go into that bed. Victor lets receive our unexpected guests."

The two friends walk out of the step down ward when they see Major Verdeschi seating bent over looking down and holding his head with one hand. John stops seen this and says to Victor. "Hold on."

"Something is wrong with him. Could it be he finally saw his wife?"

"I guess." John and Victor walk toward Tony and the young officer seen them approaching stands up. "Major, are you okay?"

"No sir… is my wife, she… I do not even know how to say it."

"Major, Doctor Russell told me about it."

"Why I find out last?"

"Doctor Russell acted properly, and she had to report any special conditions of her patients to the Commander of this base that is me. With regards to the wishes of your wife that had to be respected. She found the courage to show you."

"But she looks like the woman from the mine."

"According to Doctor Russell and the tests she performed, that young woman is your wife. How she changed in appearance is still under Doctor Russell's care."

Victor puts his hand on Tony's shoulder as to reassure him and the old Doctor goes to say. "Remember, in health and illness… you both said that to each other. Let's say what happened to her happen to you where she would be at?"

Tony takes a big breath and looks toward the room Maya is in. He looks at Victor and says. "Thank you, Doctor. Excuse me, Commander."

"Go ahead." John said, and Tony walks back to his wife's room. Then he stops looking at the nurse station. Tony walks toward it and grabs a vase of flowers. Then he walks into the room. John and Victor slowly turn walking out of the ward, Victor goes to say. "Do we report the theft of those flowers?"

"I did not see a thing."

Several minutes later Doctor Russell enters Maya's room to see her patient and Tony cuddling, Maya is under the blanket and Tony at the edge of the bed. "Okay you two, this lady has to come with me and do some tests."

"Can they wait, Doctor?"

"No young man. I had to wait for the scanning clinic to have an opening for her. You can come back later tonight."

In the tram, Victor and John are talking about the shocking revelation that Alan, Torens and the brave young girl brought to them.

"I can't believe Gorski is behind all this. I know him since the Mars One mission program."

"Remember John, at the end of the Mars One selection it was either him or you as mission commanders. He might have some resentment about that."

"He was the one that put my name on Margaret's desk as his successor for Alpha. He might have been planning all this for some time."

"He made me senior science advisor here. I believe he feels that we took that opportunity to be the first man to walk on Mars."

"He told Alan of a weapon that will help him. I wonder if it is the I.G.A weapon."

"It must be."

The tram stops at the port of pad five. John and Victor walk into the large cargo bay to see, U.S and British Marines in formation wearing full E.V.A combat suits and holding standard weapons. The most notable piece of their uniforms is the blue and white armband of the U.N.

A U.S female Marine with the rank of Major is talking to a robust tall Royal Marine holding the rank of Company Sergeant Major in front of the multinational task force.

The Sergeant motions his head toward John and Victor as he says something to his senior ranking. The Marine officer turns toward them extending her hand. "Commander Koenig."

"Major, it is good to see you, but I was not expecting a military envoy."

"I am Major Warfield, and this is Company Sergeant Major Nicholson. I guess you don't know."

"Know what?"

"The Russian Union and China have moved on Western Europe up to Germany, the whole of South East Asia and parts of the Middle East."

"War?"

"Yes Commander, war. Forty-eight hours ago three massive graviton charges detonated over Moscow, Beijing, and Teheran. Twenty-four hours ago. Washington DC, London, and Brussels where NATO headquarters use to be located… all gone."

"Major, no one has graviton weapons."

"Doctor, we told that to the Euro-Asiatic governments, that we don't have them and we thought them either, but they retaliated wiping out the capitals of the U.S, Great Britain, and the European Commonwealth. So far is all conventional but not for long."

"Why, you came all the way over here?"

"To claim the Moon for our side and keep it that way. I need to move my Marines in key positions on this base especially the gravity towers systems."

"You will have our full cooperation on this, and we have our security personnel already in key positions. But why the gravity towers?"

"We are dealing with gravity weapons used by the enemy and those towers can deflect any attack of that kind. The I.L.O chairman has layout a plan for you to review."

"You mean, Chairwoman Simmons?"

"She was killed during the attack of the I.L.O headquarters last Monday."

"Who is the Chairman?"

"Alton Gorski."

John's eyes open wide, and he looks again at the fully armed men an woman in uniform in front of him. Victor is as surprised, and the old Doctor is about to say something when John cuts him off, and he replies. "Of course, who else could take Margaret's place?"

"He flew straight to Bern, and he was named Chairman of the I.L.O."

"Major, give me a few minutes to coordinate our efforts with my Main center controller Mr. Morrow. I will be right back."

"Of course."

John puts his hand behind Victor's back as he turns him around Victor is trying to say something. "But…but, John…" "Yes, Victor. Margaret is dead come with me to get all set up."

At some distance, Victor goes to say. "But Alan said that Anton was behind the attacks. Is he on Earth?"

"I don't know where Gorski is, but this people here are no Marines and don't know Alan is alive telling us about Gorski. Look around you. There are techs and ground operations crews all over this hangar. If we say something about Gorski, there is going to be a bloodbath in here."

"They work for Gorski?"

"Exactly."

"What are we going to do?"

"I have an idea. I still have to call Paul."

As John and Victor walk to the hangar's crew shed, Warfield receives a message. She touches her earpiece and says. "Go for Warfield."

"Gloria, have you mention my name as planned?"

"Yes, sir I just did."

"To whom?"

"Commander Koenig."

"Dammed is too late then. I just received information from one of our people that the two Alpha pilots survived the Antares explosion. Get out of that hangar."

"But sir, we are here. We can take them."

"No, you cannot. Koenig has 750 security officers as equipped as all of you. Now, do as I told you."

Meanwhile in the crew shed John is talking to Paul over the link. "I want you to call for a crash alert in pad ten. All ground crew personnel have to leave pad five, and as that is done I want a heavy security force around pad five."

"Yes, sir." Victor sees one of the Marines manipulating something inside a large cargo box they brought with them. Warfield and Nicholson look over the Marine. Victor then says. "John, what are they doing?"

John looks and the Marine closes the box. "I don't know." Warfield commences walking toward the shed as Nicholson orders the pseudo-Marines to return to the transport.

Then, Paul's voice is heard over the overhead speaker as an alarm. "All ground personnel of landing pad five, report to pad ten for a crash landing event. All…" Warfield stops and raises her hand holding an electronic device. "Commander, we are leaving, and we do not want to be in any way stopped."

"What is going on?"

"Sir, you know what is going on as I do. The big giveaway is how you found a way to clear this hangar."

"Okay, you know we know. Just drop your weapons and surrender. No one has to be hurt."

"I will tell you what you don't know. In that box, we have a five megaton explosive device, and I am holding this. I am sure you can put two and two together." Nicholson is the last to leave, and from the airlock, he yells. "Gloria, let's go!"

"You are bluffing!"

"Try me."

Gloria turns around and in a self-assured posture walks toward the gate holding the handheld device over her head. "Tell Anton that this was a waste of time!"

"Time is what we have. You do not."

Tony runs in and stands next to John and Victor. "Sir, are you going to let them leave?"

John answers as he keeps looking at Gloria. "I don't know what is in that box. Stand down your officers."

Gloria enters the airlock. John turns to Tony and says. "Evacuate everyone out of this section."

"Yes, sir."

A few minutes later the transport takes flight, and Paul is tracking it. Once all the personnel have been moved out of the east landing pads, John calls Paul. "Where are they headed?"

"They are heading toward the Mare Nectaris area."

"Dispatch two Shado fighters and have them follow at a distance."

"Yes, sir."

"Tony, bring a remote vehicle to check that box and have the disposal team ready."

"Yes, sir." Victor goes to say. "So Anton knows we know."

"He does what worries me is how he found out."

"So we have a spy working for him?"

"I hope it is just one but in all this what worries me is how no one from Earth has come to check on us."

"Maybe is time for us to send someone there."

"You are right Victor, I will check on Alan again."

Meanwhile outside in the main perimeter of Alpha, a large group moves tactically in the shadows. "Anton, we are in position."

"Good Gloria, continue ahead."

"Yes, sir." Gloria changes the channel and addresses her mercenaries. "Okay, people the main gravity towers center is over there. We cut the airlock open and take over. We will have a more defensible position in there."

.

The tunnel.

.

John and Victor are in the Main Control of Alpha. Paul turns to John from his station and says. "Sir the telemetry from the atomic depots stopped 45 minutes ago." John turns to Victor and asks. "You think Anton is trying to do something there?"

"All that material is not fissile to make any nuclear warhead. It is used to supplement the E-Collider power, nothing more."

"Paul, send an Eagle to check the sites with a Shado fighter escort."

"Yes, sir." Then Alan walks in with Clive Kander and Melisa. John turns to them but pays attention to Melisa by saying. "This is the young lady that helped you, Alan?" Before Alan could answer, Clive replies with pride. "Yes, sir she is the one."

"Good and what was your job in Antares Station?"

"I was a comm specialist." John turns toward Sandra and says. "Ms. Benes, do we need a comm specialist?"

"Yes sir, we do."

"Assigned Ms. Kander to duties as an I.L.O employee."

"Yes, sir." Melisa goes to say. "Thank you, sir."

"You are welcome, now follow Ms. Banes and let me talk to Alan and your father." Sandra takes Melisa to her station, and then John addresses the pilots. "Alan this is your second shot to reach a comm-link with Earth. You and Clive get an Eagle and go straight to Cape Kennedy. Tell them what is going on with Gorski and that we need real Marines this time."

"Yes, sir."

"Oh, no… Alan still grounded." All look at Helena walking in and John turns to Alan. "Was I not clear in the hospital?"

"Oh… yes, sir but I feel find." Helena looks straight at Alan and says in a stern tone. "Chief Carter, go and see Dr. Nuñez. He is waiting in the scanning clinic."

"Yes, Ma'am." Alan turns to Clive and says. "Get Bartlett to fly with you."

The two pilots walk out in different directions from the M.C.C and Helena goes to say. "These pilots are like kids." John smiles and replies. "I am a pilot too."

"What can I say? You have kids at heart all over this place."

"That is better. You came to tell me soothing?"

"Can we talk in private?"

John extends his right arm toward his office and Helena walks toward it. Both enter, and John closes the partition doors. He seats behind his desk and Helena at the other side. "John is about Dr. Roberts."

"What have you found?"

"Well, at… her DNA is hers as it should be but…"

"But?"

"I had to borrow a scanner quantum spectrograph from Victor's lab. I discover that at a molecular level, her body is mixed with other biological elements bond to her carbon molecules that to tell you the truth I have never seen before. Her cognitive and biological functions are normal, but she is carrying more molecules than the average human due to these extra elements."

"Would that explain what the hospital's cameras recorded?"

"One moment is her agitated after seen herself in the mirror and then the wolf."

"A Metamorphic transformation?"

"You mean a Metamorph?"

"Yes."

"There are examples in nature of this."

"Caterpillars do not turn into a wolf, and humans don't do that at all. I am worried that this may occur again."

"Since Tony and her reconnected, she has not shown any signs of metamorphic transformation."

A call comes in on John's desk. "Commander."

"Excuse me, Doctor. Yes, Kano?"

"We lost our link to the E-Collider mainframe."

"Can we still operate without it?"

"Yes, sir. The disconnection happened at the E-Collider end."

"Before you send anyone, have Tony assign a security detail."

"Yes, sir." Then Helena's comm-link goes off, and she picks the call. "Doctor Russell here."

"Doctor, this is Mathias. Dr. Roberts is gone." Helena stands abruptly and says. "How did she left? There are two guards outside her door."

"Nurse Parker was found unconscious without her uniform in the room, but the two officers swear seen her leaving the room."

"I am on my way."

"What happen?"

"Maya, escape. My best guess is that she took the form of one of the nurses and walked out of the room."

"But you said she was fine."

"I don't know what happened and I don't know how to find a person that changes appearances as she does."

Then the general alarm is activated, and from the overhead speaker, Paul's voice is heard. "Armed intruders in the main gravity towers center, security tactical response teams, armed intruders in the main gravity towers center."

John stands rapidly walking out from his office followed by Helena. "Paul, what is going on?"

"They never left. The fake Marines took over the gravity tower center, and they have hostages."

Victor walks to John and says. "John, the depots…" "Victor, please not now."

"John, you have to look at the pictures Eagle 57 just sent us."

"What is that?"

"That is an energy field covering both sites. The thermal image is showing the piles heating up."

"What is causing that?"

"The scans show a Tachyon surge over the sites. It is coming from under the ground."

"The underground structure?"

"It has to be."

As all this is happening on Alpha, Eagle 20 is close to 500 miles from the surface and climbing normally at cruising speed. "Clive, we should have a clear line to Cape Kennedy by now."

Through the front ports, the two pilots commence seeing a thin yellow halo of light extending in front of them as far as they can see. "Bartlett, check the Ladar and the sensors."

"They are not bouncing anything back. All is clear to the instruments. I see the Earth."

"It might be particle debris from Antares or…" Clive could not complete his comment, as soon as they cross the barrier, the Earth disappears. "What, where is the Earth?"

"Look… Clive, look at that."

"Is like a tunnel but no stars."

"No, the stars are right there. Bundle up in that disk and why they look reddish?" Clive instinctively turns the Eagle 180 degrees and faces the Moon.

Both see the Moon in the same tunnel with them, and another bundle of stars forming a circle is in front of the Moon. The stars have a vivid blue hue, and they vanish at the lightless edge of the tunnel.

Clive looks at the instruments and says with a distress tone. "The Moon is moving away! Bartlett, engage at full power!"

With great effort, the Eagle passes through the yellow colored barrier covering the Moon above 450 miles from its surface. Then the craft regains its momentum speed synchronous to the Moon, and the two pilots had to slow down the Eagle.

"Clive, what just happen?"

"I don't know, but the Earth is gone. We better take all the sensors logs to Doctor Bergman."

.

The stop.

.

Tony is wearing a full combat spacesuit and carrying a one-megawatt electro-laser rifle. The shoulder-fired weapon can project an electrical charge up to 300 meters. Inside that range, it can render a person unconscious or cut through two inches of carbon laced Titanium. The handheld counterparts it still generates the same energy as the same characteristics inside the range of 100 meters. All the officers are carrying both.

Tony is overall is in charge of the tactical operation, he is inside the base directly controlling two teams that are covering the two long hallways leading into the large gravity control room.

Outside surrounding in a circular perimeter, the building is Tanya with 60 security officers with heavier ordinance with plasma propelled rockets launchers. Looking similar to the American WWII Rocket Launcher, M1A1 "Bazooka" but shorter with a larger face shield to protect the shooter and mounting a targeting digital view screen.

Circling above are several Shado fighters that complete the total encirclement of the overtaken area. Joining Tony is John overseen the preparations. "Paul."

"Yes, Commander."

"Patch me into the center."

"Sir, all the comm-links are out." Tony goes to say. "How are they going to negotiate?"

"They are not here to negotiate, and they have full control of the gravity tower network but for what."

In the north main perimeter gate of Alpha among the thousands of vehicles parked there. Two 50-ton cargo land vehicles parked next to each other commence opening their rear cargo area.

From one of them, the telescope like I.G.A weapon traverses as it elevates aiming toward Alpha. From the other heavy hauler, Gorski's mercenaries commence unrolling thick bulky electrical cables.

One of the mercenaries jumps at the rear of the weapon and activates the instrumentation. "All systems are in the green. The Holdium is fully magnetized." He says to the rest and changes channels. "Mr. Gorski, we have a solution."

"Remember, you have only one shot with the generator power you have."

"Yes sir, one thirty-second shot. I am waiting for Gloria's signal."

Meanwhile, in the E-Collider main building, the technical team sent by Kano to restore the link between Alpha's main computer and the mainframe of the E-Collider has arrived. They move with their equipment with the company of seven security officers in full tactical gear.

They move directly to the main control center, and they find the doors to the large control room have been open with force. The top of the doors are inside the doorframe, but as the doors go down the frame, they narrow making the entrance look like an inverted triangle.

The security officers, seen this enter first as to verify that the room is secure for the techs to work. They find Maya behind the main operations station wearing an orange I.L.O spacesuit. The officers approach her in a breach formation, and the lead officer yells. "Ma'am, step away from the station."

Maya continues to work on the controls as if she was transfixed with no facial expression. However, she replies to the officer. "We are near. We have to stop."

"No ma'am, you have to stop!"

All the stations in the room turn on, and on the big screen, it is shown that all 857 first stage accelerators are spinning and the main equatorial accelerator is fully magnetized.

Maya lifts the safety cover of the actuating button and presses it. "It is done."

At the same time, all 857 first stage accelerators inject their fast-moving cores, into the awaiting main collider encompassing the Moon. At the same time in the atomic disposal sites one and two. The plasmatic energy field around them contracts and moves into the power system that provides auxiliary power to the E-Collider.

The entire massive equatorial collider commences glowing as electrical arcs extent high above the lunar surface reaching the strange barrier covering the Moon. Suddenly, the inertial force of the slowing Moon is felt and all none secure objects either human-made or natural commence to lift on the far side of the Moon.

However, on the opposite side of the Moon, all objects gain inertial weight and all the security officers fight to stay standing. Maya is the only one not affected, and calmly steps pass the officers on the ground as the techs on the hallway, walking away from view.

In Alpha is the same, all are pressed on the ground not knowing what is happening. None or lightly secure fixtures from the ceilings and walls commence falling. A Moonquake topples most of all the items to the floor as the lights flicker and alarms sound across the lunar base.

Eagle 20 was in final approach at few meters over one of the landing pads when the deceleration of the Moon catches up with the craft. Although Clive and Bartlett do their best to avoid a hard landing, the Eagle hits the landing pad with force.

All the personnel in Alpha either outside or inside are on the ground in excruciating pain. Tony goes to say with effort to John. "They increased the artificial gravity to crush us alive."

"This is something else." John answers and slowly the pressing force commences to subside. As they stand, they stagger in their walk, but John tells Tony. "Now, move now before they recover."

"All positions move in, now!" Outside, Alexander takes command and says. "Move, move!"

As First World War soldiers, Alexander's team jumps into the hastily dug perimeter of the enemy. Most of the fake Marines are still recovering from the inertial energy their bodies experience. One by one fall by the stunning force of the Electro-Laser weapons of the security team.

Tony's team opens the doors, and they rush in. They find the intruders recuperating and as their counterparts outside one by one fall to the ground by the stunning effect of the security weapons.

Meanwhile, by the main gate, Gorski's team members are standing up and one by one all lookup and stand in awe. The leader calls in and says in distress. "Sir… sir… you better get out of the bunker and see this."

"What the hell was that? Did you fire the weapon toward the Earth? Did the beam pass through the gravity dome of Alpha?"

"Sir, there is no Earth. The stars are different, and there is no Earth."

The baffled team leader pivots slowly around as he looks up and says. "Sir, I never had the chance to fire. Sir, I see a red sun."

"Okay, call it off. All of you return."

"Yes, sir."

Meanwhile, in Alpha, all the intruders are restrained and are been moved to the security jail. As Gloria passes by John, she says. "He wants to talk to you."

"Officer, hold on. Who wants to talk to me?"

"Anton. Use my earpiece."

John pulls the earpiece from Gloria's ear, and quickly he cleans it over her uniform making Gloria says. "I take showers."

"I don't care." John puts the earpiece on and says. "Anton, make it easy for you and give yourself up."

"John, what have you done?"

"I stopped your little invasion that is what happened."

"Oh, so it was not you and you don't know yet. There is a red sun out there, and it looks like we are headed its way."

"A red sun?" Gloria smiles and says. "A red sun, Anton must be referring to the Earth's biosphere burning up."

Victor goes to say. "So that was your plan to burn the Earth?"

"Shhh… Anton, what red sun? Your fake marine here is saying that is the Earth's biosphere burning."

"You know. Until you see it for yourself, it is pointless any conversation with you. Do not come to Tranquility Base or you will have a real asymmetric war in your hands. My objective was never Alpha, but it could be if you try me. Gorski out."

.

They call it, breakaway.

.

Twenty four hours have passed since all those on the Moon found about the breakaway. John is standing with his arms crossed in the M.C.C examining on the Holo-sphere a new set of pictures taken not more than an hour ago. Paul goes to say as he looks. "He is not hiding."

John answers. "No, he is not. Tranquility base if fully functional with all the lights on, basically saying, stay away. But what I wish we could find are his Shado fighter and the I.G.A weapon."

"Gorski never gave me the impression on being stupid. He is not going to give those up easily."

"He is a good diplomat. He restored our communications again. I guess that is his good neighborly gesture."

"To talk to who sir?"

"With him, I am sure."

Victor walks in and approaches John. The Commander turns his upper torso slightly toward Victor and asks. "Can we go home?"

"John, I not even know how it happened." John still has his arms crossed and moves his right-hand index finger that is resting over his left shoulder pointing down several times, and Victor replies to his small gesture. "Oh, well… I am sure it has to do with the structure."

"Do you know when it happened?"

"According to the instruments in my lab, it happened at 2100 hours, September the nine and we stopped on September the thirteen at 1520 hours."

John looks down and puts his arms to the sides and says with remorse. "We let those people go in the Phoenix, light years away from Earth. I don't want to think what they are going through, right now."

"John, those people died centuries ago. For us to be here in the time it took, we were traveling above the speed of light."

"Ok, where are we?"

"By the location of the quasars, we are 13.3 billion light-years from Earth, and we are not stopping."

"Are we going to be burned by that red star?"

"No, we are traveling at 50% the speed of light in a sling shoot trajectory around the red sun. Let me show something else."

Victor shows John an image in his E-pad of an oscilloscope circular wave function. John looks at it and says. "That is your Meta-wave. I think you open the wrong file. What is that you want me to see?"

"This is a Meta-wave, and this signal is coming from the inner solar system of the red sun."

"Wait, someone is transmitting that signal ahead of us?"

"Yes, there is someone in that solar system, and we are headed right for it."

Meanwhile, in the mine 325 near the Theophilus crater, Maya is standing in front of the wall, and she says. "Father, we have arrived at Psychon."

"You did good daughter, and now we have to face the Archanons that imprison us here."

"But why, they did that? Your creation was meant to save Psychon."

"Envy just envy but now return to the humans and allow the human consciousness to take over until I call upon you."

"I like the human male."

"My dear daughter, there will plenty of noble suitors with lineage in Psychon for you to choose. Humans are just mere pawns to be used for our benefit."

"Yes, father."


	2. Chapter 2

.

**War Games**

.

The return.

.

The glass basilica extends as far as the eyes can see, the lower part that anyone would consider it to be the floor. It is an exact duplicate of the upper section. Large pillars extend transversely as horizontally in the basilica and through them. Symbols and pictures travel in them as fluids travel in a pipe.

Tall human-like figures walk in midair in any orientation concerning the two counterpoised basilicas. In the center, three of these humanoids observed with attention a bright cloud displaying the image of a rough sphere circumventing their sun.

"Is it?"

"It is but is not. It has changed."

A fourth humanoid joins the first three appearing from a lighted doorframe that a second ago was not there. "It is him, but the oubliette has changed."

"It was lost and now is here. How the oubliette obtained the energy to return?"

"During its absence, most had gained the energy to reach our realm."

"Where was it?"

"It was in the lower plane, during the expansion era of all that it is known to us." One of the human-like creatures bends the neck slightly forward to see the image clearer and then turns to the others to say. "My brethren, the defiler brings with him entropic life, Creatures of primitive time from the realm of before."

"Yes, the defiler knows our laws."

"We must join and stop this from happening."

The creatures raise their arms and their bodies as their garments turn into brilliant white light. All the others creatures in the strange edifice rush and toward the central four figures and meld in each one finally the four original meld into one. And slowly the glass basilica vanishes, and a dome room appears, and a man is seating in a gold throne.

He is a young man with long dark curly hair and long beard, and his garments resemble those depicted in ancient Babylonian stone cut relives. A woman is standing with a white porcelain vessel, and she asks as the man approaches her. "Why are we out here?"

"A decision was reached." She gives him a cup and the woman proceeds to pour a green liquid into the cup. He drinks it, and then he says. "The council as to act, the defiler is approaching."

.

The search for things.

.

Across the lunar surface, thousands of urbanized bases called U.B's are found near work sites and close to main highways. These bases were built to accommodate entire communities and depending on the job/work demand in the area the sizes of these lunar towns would vary.

The average size is of these bases are 13 million square feet equivalent in size to 50 football fields accommodating an average population of 1500 people. They have hotels as cinemas, restaurants, cafes a large centric commercial mall as well as an internal Metro Link. The schools, colleges, and universities are an integral part of the community.

Two weeks ago, all the civilians left the Moon due to the Exodus directive abandoning their homes in the urbanized lunar bases for the safety of Earth.

Now the Moon is traveling at 50% the speed of light in an uncharted part of the Universe and these bases as other sites are now the new gold mines on the Moon for food goods, medicines, botanicals, mechanical and electronic parts or devices.

In one of this urban sites located in the southern outer edge of the Agrippa crater west of the Mare Tranquillitatis, U.B number 78 a group from the Alpha base is loading a 50-ton cargo hauler in the central commercial mall. As the orange spacesuits move through the mall's main loading dock with goods, security officers wearing gray camouflage tactical spacesuits with the customary purple sleeve guard the operation.

Another cargo hauler escorted by security vehicles approaches the loading dock. "Group one. This is group two, leader. Do you copy?"

"Go, Steve."

"George, we have the emergency generators on tow. Are you guys ready?"

"We are loading the last of the agricultural equipment. We will be ready in five minutes."

The approaching vehicle stop next to the one been loaded and Steve gets out. "George, you contacted the M.C.C?"

"Yes, the rest of the convoy is waiting on highway 65 by the overpass of the E-Collider."

"That thing gives me the creeps. I think we are here because of it." One of the orange suits walks to the two security officers in charge and says. "We are done."

"Good, we…" George could not complete his sentence when a woman in a civilian spacesuit approaches them with her hands above her head.

The Alpha security detail not only aims their weapons toward her but in all directions. "You guys are trespassing. Gorski was clear to your Commander not to come to the Tranquility area."

"We are west and out of Tranquility."

"You can take the hauler with the food goods and electronics. The generators stay here."

"How many you need?"

"We need two but because you are trespassing will take all four."

"I can disconnect the trailer with the two for you, and we take the two on the truck bed to Alpha."

The woman touches her hear piece and talks to someone. Then the Alphans can see through the ceiling glass in the outside a Shado fighter rise. The combat vehicle has no markings, and its color is of a dark grey. The woman says. "Leave all the generators here!"

"NO!"

Several miles south of the abandon urban center on highway 65, the rest of the convoy waits under the gigantic infrastructure of the E-Collider passing overhead.

Two Eagles have arrived and are loading medications that need deep refrigeration and are time essential for storage in Alpha's hospital. The convoy commander Deeana approaches Alan Carter to say. "Hey, Chief on your way back. Can you do a quick fly-by over the U.B center? George's convoy is late and has not called."

"Sure, I see no problem."

"Thank you."

"Bossman, we are ready."

"Okay Bill, on my way." Alan turns his upper body toward Deeana and says. "I will call when I see them. They must be in a Valley on their way here."

"Yea, since we lost all the satellites we are now dependent on line of sight for communications."

Alan enters the Eagle and when the officiating ground crew gives him the all-clear around the Eagle. Alan and Bill take off. "Alan, Alpha is the other way."

"I know. We are following the highway up to the U.B center checking on the last convoy."

"Okay, but keep in mind we don't have Shado escorts, and Gorski's fighters have been sighted around here."

"We are far from Tranquility…um?"

"What is it?"

"Is that the U.B to starboard… 10 degrees in the plane?"

"Yes and the glass section it is broken. Is that a Shado fighter on the ground… upside down?"

"It is. Have the countermeasures ready."

"When are we arming all the Eagles?" Bill asked but Alan stays silent discerning the situation. Even before Alan hovers over the broken carbon glass cover to look in, he knows there was a firefight. "Oh crap, are all…?" Bill asked.

"For the ones I see are not moving." Alan switches channels. "This is Eagle 67 calling the M.C.C. I am over the U.B facility 78. There was a firefight, and all our guys are down. We need an emergency medical team and a Q.R.F team with Shado escorts."

"This is M.C.C the Commander wants to know, what you think it happened, over."

"Gorski's boys… I see one of their Shado fighters on the ground all burn-up." Then Commander Koenig's voice it is heard over the wireless link. "Eagle 67, relay to the main body of the convoy to take defensive positions until air escorts arrive."

"Yes, sir."

In the M.C.C John is leaning over Jack station and John says. "Patch me through their frequency."

"Yes, sir. Go ahead, sir."

"Gorski!" no more than 30 seconds pass by, and a woman answers. "Who is this?"

"Commander Koenig, I want to speak with Gorski!"

"He is pissed for what you did, Commander."

"I did nothing, and I just dispatched a medical team to U.B 78. Do not mess with them."

"So the Shado escorts will stay behind… do they?"

"No and not after what you did?"

"That our people defended themselves."

"Whoever you are, I want to speak with Gorski!"

"My name is Natasha and by the way. When are you releasing our people?"

"Give me Gorski!" Few seconds go by and then in a calm tone Gorski speaks. "John, this is Alton. I told you two weeks ago. You stay on your side, and I stay on my side. We are billions of light years from home, and we need to stay off our ways. "

"I am doing that, except when you attack my people first!"

"Yea, right. The medical Eagles are the only vehicles to fly passed the equator. You are responsible for my people's medical care and their release. Do we have an agreement?"

"Yes, but at the first sign of you pulling the trigger, again. I am raining fire on you."

"I still see your fighters, not turning around."

"Paul, have the fighters hold a pattern south of the E-Collider."

"But, sir…" "Do it!"

"Yes, sir."

.

The Medevac.

.

The red striped Medical Eagles commence to land and one by upon landing, open their main pod doors and medical staff begin to move. The damage structure's south wall is cracked open by an explosion. The pressurized atmosphere has escaped. Thick glass and rubble cover the side.

Doctor Mathias is the overall medical lead and orders to collect all bodies and move them into the Eagle's medical pods for treatment if need be. The medical teams commence collecting the bodies of the dead and almost dead. Doctor Mathias calls trough is Comm-link. "Doctor Russell, I am counting fifty casualties. As soon as we liftoff I will give you a count."

Russell is in the Emergency room area preparing for the injured. Her staff rushes to set all the rooms, and Doctor Nuñez is prepping in the surgical area. Helena looks at the clock and replies to Mathias. "We have five minutes before all the functions of the pressure-less victims reach the point of no return."

"Yes…" The connection to Dr. Mathias is abruptly cut, and Helena turns to her Comm operator to ask. "What happen?"

"I don't know."

.

The attack.

.

Alan and Fraser are about five miles away when they see a large bright light followed by a sizeable fiery mushroom raise from the urban structure. Alan moves the Eagle away as heavy rocks hit the hull of the ship. "Break, break. This is Eagle 67. A tactical nuke of a small yield just leveled the site. All in the radius blast are gone."

John hits Paul's station hard and turns in livid anger toward his office. He reaches his desk and closes the doors that connect his office to the M.C.C. "Paul, patch me through that animal!"

"Go ahead, sir."

"Gorski! You will pay for this!"

"How could you, John!"

"You took all the medical Eagles that I sent in good faith to help my and yours and you resolve to this!"

"No, not me you!"

"I am not leaving a rock standing of Tranquility Base. No matter how deep you hide in the deepest shaft on the Moon, I will find you!"

"I am not and will not hide! I am taking Alpha! Gorski out!"

John seats as his heavy breathing echo in the room and then he calms down enough to call Paul. "Mr. Morrow, I want the entire Shado fighter wings forward nuzzle pods changed to carry heavy ordinance. I want all senior personnel with military experience in my office in 30 minutes. All convoys most return to Alpha."

"Yes, sir."

John leans back in his chair, and Helena calls. "Go ahead, Helena."

"John, what happened with the medical team?"

"Helena, all are dead."

"What?!"

"Gorski detonate a tactical nuke on them and his people. Helena, add more beds. You are going to deal with more wounded."

"Wait, you are declaring war on Anton Gorski?"

"He is rouge as his mind. We are too far from home to have casualties at Gorski's will. This will end now."

"You have to think this trough." John stands up and commences to walk toward the double doors and says. "Helena, he started this. Later I will talk to you."

"Okay. Russell out."

John stands and walks to the main doors of his office. He presses the pad to open the doors, and the doors don't open. He tries once more when he hears a familiar voice behind him in his office. "What… how did you get here?"

John turns and sees that half of the office is Gorski's office in Tranquility base. John sees a surprised Gorski looking straight at him. John slowly walks toward the semi-transparent image as Gorski does the same. Both men are at arm's length. Gorski rapidly extends his right arm swinging toward John, and as a ghost, his arm passes through John.

"What…?" That is all John says, and a male voice to the side of both warring leaders goes to say. "I had to put a stop to this attack." John and Gorski look to see a tall man with a dark beard with gray lines dress as an ancient Babylonian. "Who are you?" Gorski asked.

"My name is Mentor, and I am a citizen of the planet Psychon."

"Where is Psychon?" John asked. "It is the third planet in this solar system. It is still out of view from your detectors as optical instruments. I am here to stop the attack." Anton raises his arm and points to John. "He started this attack!"

"No… you did!"

"Gentlemen, please. None of your compatriots as the equipment they were using are destroyed. The attack was from the Archanon. They are what you would call a ruling class and they rule on Psychon."

"You came from your planet, to stop an attack from them?" Gorski asked, and John adds. "We have not detected any foreign ships."

Mentor moves closer to the two perplexed leaders to reply. "Their methods of warfare are not of what you are accustomed. The Archanon were influencing your minds with illusions that both of your parties were attacking the other. Both of your sides would do what the Archanon don't dare to do it themselves, destroyed each other. To them, you are all the same low-level entities."

"Are you protecting us?" Gorski asked, and Mentor replies. "Yes, and you are safe for now."

"For now?"

"Yes Commanders Koenig, for now." Gorski asks. "How do we know it was not you who made us believe we were attacking each other? You stated that you are from that planet."

"I am original of Psychon as I stated but I been among you for a long time to take a side against you."

"You mean that you are in the structure?"

"Yes Commander Koenig, I am in the structure."

"You said that our peoples are alive and there was no attack, and you are in our side. How do we know it is so?" Gorski asked with a suspicious tone. "Contact your people that you think is lost to conflict. You will see they are alive."

"Okay, they are alive and well as you say. What is your reason to side with us?" John asked, and Mentor replies. "You both would naturally think that I am an infiltrator of my people. However, I am not. I do have a reason to stop their attack and contact both. I am imprisoned in the structure underneath your surface, and I seek my freedom."

"Your freedom?

"Yes Commander, my freedom. I will give you time to contact your people. Gentlemen, we will continue in one hour."

Mentor as the holographic image of Gorski's office vanishes and John is alone in his office. He looks about and slowly turns toward the double doors that are open. Victor is standing by the door and asks. "John, are you okay?"

"Yes… yes." John walks out of the office as Victor follows him. John moves to stand behind Paul and says. "Call the Medevac team."

"Sir?"

"Paul, call them."

"Yes, sir. Medevac one this is Alpha." Then Mathias' voice is heard. "Go ahead, Alpha." John bends over Paul's station and asks. "Doctor Mathias. What is going on?"

"Commander, you will not believe it. The structural damage to the Urban Base it just… well, there is none, and there are no casualties. Gorski's people are leaving without showing an aggressive posture."

"Okay Doctor. Return home."

"Yes sir."

"Paul, contact all our people in that grid and tell them to return."

"Yes sir."

"Victor, come to my office."

Victor notices a nervous demeanor about John, and he asks as they walk toward the office. "John, what happened you look as if you have seen a ghost?"

"I might as well have."

John closes the office and seats behind his desk. Victor seats across him. John holds his hands robs them and then puts them down saying. "The intelligence that we spoke about with regards to the structure, it manifested itself in this room."

"How?"

"It spoke to me. He was in bodily form, more like an interactive hologram."

"It or he spoke to you?"

"To Gorski and me and I don't know how it did it, but Gorski was here. Its name is Mentor, and he is trapped on the Moon. He is from the planet that is sending the Meta-signal. He said that a group called the Archanon rule the planet and they made all of us believed that Gorski's people attacked us. As for Gorski, the Archanon made him and his people believed that we attack them."

"Why are they doing that?"

"If I understood Mentor, the Archanon wanted us to kill each other."

"For a race that can project their mental abilities at such distances, we don't pose a threat to them."

"Apparently, we do, and the threat is from them to us."

"But why make us kill each other. They can make anyone commit an error that could destroy this base. Like overheating the reactors or make someone activate the E-Collider and blow the Moon in half."

"Or make one of us drop the safety containment of the nuclear waste sites, make both sites reach critical mass. That would destroy the Moon. Then again the Moon is not a natural object or in part as we always thought."

"Okay, is this Mentor coming back?" John looks at his Comm-link to see the time, and he replies. "In 50 minutes, he will be here."

.

The witness of time.

.

"Wake up, my daughter."

Maya opens her eyes and lifts her upper body to be seating on the bed. Next to her is the empty spot where Tony sleeps.

"Where is your new toy?"

"He had to go work."

"Oh, yes. He is the guardian of this place."

"Yes."

"Go to Koenig's office in the next 47 minutes and wait for me there."

"Yes, father."

Tony and Alexander arrive at the M.C.C and walk straight to John's office. Already there is Alan, Mark Petrov the Chief network missile pusher controller and Joan Ehrlich the C.A.G commander of the Shado squadrons as well as Paul. As always in essential meetings, Victor seats quietly in the background with Helena.

"Major, Lieutenant Alexander, please come in. What is the status of the security?" John asks, and Tony replies. "All our forces are stationed in key positions in the base and outside the perimeter. Quick response teams are posted in the sections you indicated, and the heavy tactical teams are in the utility sections."

"Good, Major. Petrov, did you change the warheads of the pusher missiles?"

"Yes sir, all ground to space missiles are ready. This time they are not pushing but exploding with a one-kiloton warhead. The energy pulse batteries are now at full strength."

"Colonel Ehrlich."

"Sir, I have three ready patrols in the air. All other Shado fighters are spread out in and around the Alpha crater all camouflage."

"Colonel Carter."

"All 375 Eagles are in standby either on the pads or around the Alpha crater. All have armament, and 50 Eagle's hulls were reinforced to serve as bombers."

"Paul."

"In one hour all the structural reinforcements will be completed. The reactors have been covered with cargo containers full of dirt."

"Doctor Russell."

"We have two triages areas in each section of the base. Outside we interconnected Eagle's pods making them into medical centers. All medical Eagles are in standby as all-terrain vehicles converted into ambulances."

"Good. Tony, I want you at my order to release the prisoners. Provide them with one of the land vehicles left in the north gate and let them go."

All are silent, taken by John's order and Tony clears his throat and says. "Sir, with all due respect… the fewer people he has, the fewer chances for Gorski to launch attacks against us."

"These preparations are not to defend Alpha from Gorski."

All are surprised after John's statement, and Alan asks with surprise. "Sir then from whom?"

"My father's enemies." All turn to see Maya standing at the door. Helena walks rapidly toward her being the closest followed by Tony. Helena says. "Maya, you should not be here."

"Honey, let me take you back to our apartment." But John says. "Tony, wait. Doctor Roberts, please come in."

"Thank you. Commander."

"You said your Father's enemy. Who are you referring to?"

"Mentor." Victor looks at John with his eyes open surprised but also relieved as all his doubts about John's sanity vanish. The old doctor stands up and asks Maya. "Dr. Roberts, your parents are on Earth. How come Mentor is your Father?"

"Dr. Bergman, she is my daughter." All turn to see Mentor and next to him is the unnerved Gorski looking about, and he asks with a nervous surprise tone. "Where is my office?"

"Mr. Gorski you are still in your office and please restrain your movements, or you might topple over your desk."

"I am not moving then." John goes to say. "Well, here we are."

"I was listening to your meeting and your preparations as those of Mr. Gorski, and they are more than adequate, for a war in the physical realm. However for us to succeed we have to fight in their domain."

"Who… what, John who is this guy?" Alan asked, and John turns to Mentor to ask. "That is a good point. Who are you?"

"I am per your terms, a scientist. Millions of years ago, my prison arrived into Earth's orbit becoming part of your Moon. I am from the future but not the future as you think. All of you are in the universe that is returning toward, of what you call, the big bang."

"We are on the other side… passed the speed of light, realm?"

"Yes, Doctor Bergman. As it is explained in the Roberts' equation and as serendipitous as events are in your entropic Universe my daughter merged with the discoverer on your planet of this cosmological re-birth to re-birth cycle."

"Why you were imprisoned?" John asked cutting through the cosmological scientific talk.

"I was imprisoned with my daughter by the Archanon. In my planet, high states of consciousness are since the creation of this Universe, and the progression or natural order here is in reverse from yours. In this universe all moves toward de-evolution."

"De-evolution?"

"Yes Commander. My people created a shield that covers the planet to prevent the introduction of entropy to protect their corporeal and mental integrity as of the planet against the natural progress of de-evolution. When this Universe reaches the point to become once more, you're Universe. The entire planet will cross over as it is now."

"Wait… wait right there. You already were in our Universe. Why can't they do as they did to you saving the trouble of waiting for the big bang to happen?" Gorski asked.

"When did I say that I was alive in your universe?" Gorski raises his hands up to his torso as showing his disbelieve and then he moves his arms about to feel his chair to seat and he says. "No one said that but now that you bring that point. Are you alive?"

"I am now belonging to this universe."

"So, us not belonging to this universe the opposite that you imply is that we, humans, are all dead on this Moon?"

Then Gorski seats with his arms crossed waiting for an explanation. "Yes, you are all dead. Once I return all of you to your realm, you will be alive as per the conditions of your Universe."

"Why the Archanon imprison you?" John again asks but this time in a determined tone. Mentor for the first time goes to smile and says. "I am sorry. I was not avoiding your question." Then Gorski says. "You avoided mine. Why your people don't move to our universe as they did to you?"

"Mr. Gorski, they can't because they need to be on the planet and crossing it as all the inhabitants will consume energy they will never have. My, as you call, structure was no bigger than the mass of Base Alpha thus requiring a small amount to cross it over."

Then John asks. "Why they imprison you?"

"I was opposed to the shielding of my planet. All is accounted for as matter or energy in either universe. If something is missing the big bang will create a total differently universe or none at all. Then the cycle is interrupted and on every end that is also the beginning will suffer a cascading effect due to my planet's matter as its energy not being part of the cycle. The matter and energy of the thin shell that is my prison now under the surface, it belongs in this universe. I just rectify that by returning it here."

"Let me get this straight. You want somehow to stop your people and keep your prison structure under the Moon's surface in this universe. To keep the balance of the cycle is that it?"

"Yes, Doctor Bergman. I need your help."

"How?"

"Commander, the way to bring down the shield is not through physical means. A selected group of humans has to be introduced into the living main computer of my planet. Shutdown the shield and that is it."

"But your compatriots can reactivate the shield again."

"Not at this stage in this universe. That will be forgotten… lost from their memories by entropic forces as the shield comes down."

"How come you have not forgotten?"

"Dr. Russell, I am covering this Moon with a shield of my own designed. I brought with me part of your universe, and it is trapped here. Although by the standards of this realm you are all dead your corporeal forms are coherent thanks to my protection inside my shield."

"Okay, what is that you want us to do?"

"It is simple. Using your technology and mine, we will enter the main living computer. You have a device that is used for entertainment among you. It is an interface device that allows humans to be immersed in an alternate reality to play games."

"Wait, you mean a P-Box… a gaming console?" Helena asked, and John looks at her and asks her. "You play?"

"No, I just know because I bought one for my nephew on his birthday."

"Oh, I see."

"Why don't we send my Shado fighters, with your Eagles and bomb the living daylights of that planet. Or at least the places this shielding is generated and we can continue our trajectory unchallenged." Gorski said and Mentor answers. "Because after all, they are my kind and unnecessary bloodshed is not the way. However, your military forces will never arrive at the planet. The only way that you can shut down the shielding while under my protection is by Tele-presences."

"Why is that your kind want to hurt us and not just let us pass by this solar system? In two more weeks, we will be on our way out."

"Doctor Bergman, they don't fear you. They fear me. They know I have returned to set things right." Then John asks. "You said you are a scientist. Did you have something to do with this shield?"

"The shield is my creation. Twisted and repurposed to the intent that it is used for by the Archanon now. The energy originally was intended for medical use to merge the minds of the user into the living computer to repair the body of any damage. Even to repair the planet. I was too idealistic to see the selfish intent of the Archanon."

Gorski asks. "So they fear you, why they attacked us with illusions and not you. Even if they can't do you any harm. How the destruction of 10,000 humans affects you?" Then John asks. "Did you moved the Moon or it was just us humans that by accident made it happen?"

"To answer Mr. Gorski's question. They know I need mediation from my prison into their planet. With my help, you can reach the living computer and stop them. As to your question Commander, I was awoken by the used of Mr. Gorski weapon on this Moon. It attracted the foundation energy of this universe into yours. Then the equatorial energy accelerator captured more energy from the gaps created by the weapon for me to gain strength to be awakened early so to collect more energy. Then I moved this place into a noble crusade to maintain the balance of creation to creation."

"You drag us here to help you?"

"Yes, commander, the cycle of conciseness in the form of life appearing in both universes most continue. Now, I will leave you. My daughter will continue explaining all of you what to do."

Mentor as Gorski's image fades and all in the office turns to Maya. She looks at Tony to say. "Honey, I am Maya and also his daughter, Ma'ayan. Still is not all there, it is out of focus as memories hide from me."

John asks. "Doctor Roberts, do you know what to do concerning on what Mentor explained?"

"Yes, Commander I do. I need the help of Doctor Bergman and his staff." Victor turns to John and says. "John, are you taking face value what this Mentor just told us?"

"What else can we do? Risk doing nothing and wait for the Archanon to pick our minds one by one. Also Mentor confirmed some facts about the use of Gorski weapon and the E-Collider. The Tachyons by themselves don't have a sentient mind to project a cohesive force to move the Moon. Mentor was the controlling mind, and he can take us back."

"Excuse me Commander, but that sounds too noble to be the truth. Saving the cycle and all that but what if this guy is deceiving us for his purposes."

"Lt Alexander, can you tell what he wants beyond of what he just told us? Does anyone can?" All stay silent, and John goes to say. "Paul, continue preparing the security measures. All of you here coordinate with Paul. Doctor Roberts accompany Doctor Bergman to the research section and Doctor Russell, please stay for a moment."

Paul, Alan, Alexander and Colonel Ehrlich leave. Tony stays next to his wife as Helena and Victor is just looking back and forward between Maya and John then the confused Victor asks. "John, what is that Doctor Roberts is to do in my lab?"

"Whatever she asks from you do it and Major Verdeschi you better return to your duties. Now, go." The three leave the office as John extends his arm to invite Helena to a seat. Then a call comes in. "Yes Paul?"

"It is Gorski sir. He wants to speak with you."

"Patch him trough."

"Yes sir."

Alan and Joan are near the flight ops area, talking on what they witnessed a few minutes ago and both find not only unbelievable but unnerving. "Alan as if it not enough for us to be billions of light years away from home, we are dealing with extraterrestrials. Who is to say this Mentor guy is the cause of all this."

"Commander Koenig knows what he is doing." Joan stops making Alan stop, and she says. "Really, this is a creature that claims to be ancient. Who knows how intelligent it is compared to a human. The illusion of Gorski's people attacking could have been Mentor."

"Why he wants to do that?"

"Why!? To manipulate us on attacking a planet that we can't see yet also who is saying this is not our universe."

"I don't know."

"Exactly that is my point Alan who knows. Dr. Bergman located our position by using quasars radio signals. Are the quasars in this universe in the same position as in our universe? All that this Mentor guy is saying is hogwash. Then there is Doctor Roberts, she looks like him, and she is walking about. Why Mentor is not out and about?"

Alan looks down in silence as Joan waits for his opinion then he looks at her, but Joan says. "I don't trust Roberts and Mentor's intentions as Gorski's intentions."

"Joan, we have our orders."

"Yea, well. That is all we can do, wait."

.

Two of a kind.

.

Gorski steps out of his office in Tranquility base after talking to John about the events taking place. He walks through the hallways that look like an old bunker.

Cement, titanium rib bars on the sides as on the overhead, electrical power boxes and electrical pipes crisscross the hallway. Nothing is as the high polish and well-refined style of Alpha. He opens the heavy titanium pressure door and enters the command center that is half the size of Alpha's M.C.C, resembling the bridge of a submarine. "Natasha, get a team ready. Koenig is releasing Gloria and her team."

"Where is the drop off?"

"It is going to be on the east side of highway 23, by marker number 4.

"That is near the old Chinese Helium 3 refinery."

"Correct. Use the L.S.V to pick them up." Then one of the techs turns to Gorski from her station. "Commander, there is an intruder in motor pool five."

"What! Dispatch a security team. I will join them."

Natasha says to Gorski. "That is where the weapon is at." Gorski answers as he walks out. "Yes, and I hope is not one of Koenig people."

After a few minutes, Gorski is outside the motor pool with the security team. "Open the door." Gorski ordered, and one of the guards complies. The door opens, and Gorski looks in and for the surprise of the team. Gorski stands out of cover to stand in front of the door. He goes to say. "Rick, wait with your team here."

"Sir, are you sure?"

"Yes, wait here." Then Gorski enters. "If I would have known you were coming, I would have baked you a cake. To what I am honored with your visit, Mr. Mentor?"

"This weapon is magnificent. So powerful it is that woke me up from my slumber."

"You did say that before. I am curious, on how you found it?"

"There is no electromagnetic signal that I cannot detect or interpret on the Moon."

"I see. You found the radiant signal of the Holdium in the weapon."

"That is correct plus through your communications."

"Interesting, but if you can listen to our communications why you had to transform people into your personal sensors?"

"There were some limits to what I could do at the time to listen and see."

"Like conversations not broadcast over a radio frequency, unless you are in person like now."

"Correct." Gorski slowly turns around away from Mentor as looking casually at something on the deck, and he says in a normal tone of voice. "This is none sense, don't you agree?"

"Mr. Gorski, I am a respectful and civil person. I would like to receive the respect of been spoken to face to face as you would like me to do toward you."

"Oh, I apologized. I said that I most assumed that your visit is not social."

"No, it is not social. The purpose you had planned for this weapon was to disrupt all electrical power on Earth for a thousand years."

"Not disrupt it. Terminate all artificial generating power. Communication radiant signals as the accumulation of carbon emissions was destroying Earth's ecosystem."

"So you were trying to liberate your planet as I am mine. We are visionaries Mr. Gorski, but all around us are just ignorant. But you recruited visionaries like you. Contrary to me, only my daughter joined my crusade."

"I was persuasive also I had money collected from interested… visionaries on Earth. However, somehow this conversation is moving toward using this weapon for your benefit."

"Yes, Mr. Gorski. As you humans call it… a plan B of sorts for our mutual benefit."

"So, as a team of humans hacks the living computer on your planet. We use this beauty to cut all power sources on the planet. Tell me, Mentor. Where are we?"

"You would like to know."

"All the scientific instruments at my disposal and some that I used for a while, indicate that we are 13 billion light years from Earth and in our Universe."

Mentor smiles and slowly looks at the cargo truck containing the I.G. A weapon then turns to Gorski. "This universe although is in a way in a counter position to yours it is the same. Corporeal beings don't walk backward, or the clocks run back. It is just into the direction this universe is moving toward. Its end is your start, and the end of yours is the start of mine."

"So there is a planet Earth in this universe?"

"There is a Sol system as all the stars you can find in yours in there correct positions and movements following their natural course of birth and transformation."

"Can you return us to our universe?"

"Yes, I can. There are connections that energy as matter is exchanged, but in equal parts between the two universes of past and present, I know how to find them."

"Can you open one at will, one of this exchange points?"

"No, that I can't because, as you just called them, the exchange points happen naturally by forces beyond any civilization could generate but my people have challenged this natural equilibrium by basically stopping time on my planet."

"Stopping time doesn't sound bad. Why you oppose it?"

"My people are stagnating at the highest level of knowledge and being there is. If Psychon crosses over intact through the big bang forming your universe the cycle will be different."

"I think you want to somehow use my weapon as a plan B, but something tells me you have other plans that you did not told Commander Koenig."

"I have not held back information from him."

"Until now. But tell me, what is my weapon good for?"

"For me to acquire transportation."

"Okay, transportation from I don't know where. But what is there for me in all this?"

"The Earth you always wanted."

"How can I be of assistance?"

"You will know in good time."

.

The Dorcons.

.

Eight million years ago the vast Psychon Federation was taken by surprise by an aggressive attack from the Dorcons taking half of the territory of Psychon and slowly moved to take the rest.

The Dorcons found that the brain stem of the Psychons grafted into a Dorcons brain gives the user eternal life if the Dorcons is not murder or suffers a deadly accident.

Millions of farms were Psychons are grown have been established across the Dorcons domain. However, after millions of years of genetically duplicated Psychons the harvests are dwindling in quality and fresh Psychons are needed desperately for the commercial enterprise of eternal life.

Two hundred light-years away, one of the hundreds of thousands of fleets from the all-powerful Dorcons Empire lays siege to the Psychon solar system. However, the Imperial High Command would not dare to send any of their fleets closer than the 205th fleet is at.

Six million years ago the Psychon develop the powerful mind disruptive weapons that have kept at bay the military forces of the Dorcons keeping safe the last remaining bastion of Psychon civilization being the Psychon solar system. The mind weapon projects unreal situations manipulating the intended brain's target.

Admiral, Varda she is at the Combat Information Center seen the latest reports of her long life objective, the Psychon homeworld.

"Admiral."

"What do you have for me, commander?"

"The sensors have confirmed the rogue asteroid is in a parabolic orbit around the red sun."

"How such massive object eluded our sensors?"

"We believed it arrived from the under-universe pass our perimeter. Also, we have detected low electromagnetic emissions, in a language that is not in our records."

"We own 12 galaxies, and this language is not in the linguistic records?"

"Admiral, we even cross-referenced languages that we know about outside the Empire, and none matches this one."

"Incredible. How come this planetoid is moving so fast and yet the debris as the solar winds are not taking the surface apart?"

"It has a field that it resembles one of our ships hyper-light protection shields. It modulates more rapidly than anything we have, and the Psychons weapon is bouncing off from it."

The Admiral's eyes open wide, and she smiles as she looks at the graphic report and then Varda says. "Have the scientists emulate this force field modulation and frequency. We can finally approach Psychon without opposition."

"Yes, Admiral." The commander bows and leaves the center. Varda leans over the tactical table to see the rogue asteroid and a male voice goes to say in a low tone of voice. "The only one I remember having such protection field was Mentor."

Varda turns toward the man and replies. "Malik, I thought you would be asleep."

"Be more careful Admiral. I did not like that insinuation of me been malingering during a commission of my father."

"Not at all your highness, we all have to sleep. As always you made a good point. Would this be Mentor returning for his revenge?"

"I hope it is him and how we can take advantage of that planetoid's shielding?"

"I have an idea on how."

.

The wait

.

Helena arrives at the security section, looking for Tony. She approaches the main reception desk and talks to the sergeant of the shift and he tells where to find Tony in the security area.

The station's reception area not more than two weeks ago was full of civilians as officers. Many civilians came to report crimes and other civilian were under custody for violating the law. The security station was always full as any large metropolitan area police station on Earth that anyone can imagine.

Since the breakaway day, only security officers walk the almost empty station. Helena takes the elevator to the second level and as the elevators doors open, she sees the large office area. In the center over 40 some empty desks and around the desks area are offices but at the far side is the command surveillance and response center. Among the officers manning the center Helena sees Tony.

The good doctor walks across the hallway, opens the glass door and enters the office area. Now she is surrounded by empty desks. As she walks, a female voice goes to say. "Doctor, how can I help you?"

Helena turns seen Tanya Alexander behind one of the desks. Helena walks to her and asks. "Doing paperwork?"

"Oh… yes, I am closing a case. Nothing big, a drunken driver in a forklift while carrying Helium 3 canisters. As you can see I am the only fool completing reports."

"I guess all the officers are in other duties."

"This area is the detective's area. Over there is the robbery section, their homicide, at that side is the special crimes section and so on. The same anyone would find in a police station on Earth. Well, how can I help you?"

"I am here to speak with Tony."

"He is in the C.S.R.C, making changes to the defense perimeter."

"Wow, from police officers to soldiers. That is a big change."

"For some that the only experience is in civilian law enforcement, it is a big change. Tony as I and others in the security department we have military experience."

"You served in the German Army?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I was in the Kommando Spezialkraffe, 2nd Commando Company. It was during the main push into Belarus that I met the Major. At the time he was a Captain."

"I see, you both know each other since the European war. Where did you go after the war?"

"Home to Weimar and join the Polizei then five years later Tony contacted me as others to come and work up here. The I.L.O gave him the contract to put a civilian security force to transition from the multinational military garrison."

"Oh yes, I remember. U.N troops were placed on the Moon during the Euro-war and a lot of people protested that."

"That is why the I.L.O wanted a civilian security force after the war, contracting Tony's security company and after some years it evolved from a private security company into a branch of the I.L.O."

Then a familiar voice says. "Doctor, how can I help you?" Helena turns to say. "Tony, I came to speak with you. In private, if you have the time."

"Sure, let's go to my office." As Helena walks with Tony she turns to Tanya. "I hope we can continue our conversation."

"It will be my pleasure, Doctor."

Tony and Helena walk into the office and Tony offer a seat to his guest as he seats behind his desk. "Is this has to do with Maya?"

"Yes. I as Doctor Bergman we have gone over the data collected on her physical condition and besides her new appearance she is in perfect health. However and as you know, she seems to be under the influence of another persona. I as a Doctor and as far as our medical science can allow understanding of Maya's mental condition. I would diagnose her as a split personality state of mind. Did you notice this condition before today?"

"No Doctor. Her concern was more on her new appearance, and she was exploring the possibility of plastic surgery."

"Really? She never mentioned about the plastic surgery."

"We were talking about it. I told her that no matter how she looked I love her but at the end is her decision. Doctor, she was so conscious of her new facial changes that Maya would not leave the apartment under any circumstances."

"I would be hesitant myself in her condition to be in public."

"Yet she shows up in public at the M.C.C as if nothing and with the claim that she is the daughter of this Mentor guy. Still, she is acting as Maya. In my law enforcement career, I have dealt with people with split personalities, and Maya does not behave in the classical way of that physiological condition. "

"Yes, Doctor Bergman tells me that she responds to her name as Maya and behaves as Maya and yet it is not her. Also, her advance understanding on all aspects of knowledge is beyond human science either practical as in theory sciences."

"She has always been brilliant and smart. But from what you are telling me and for what I have observed thus far she has leaped beyond the humans' limits of knowledge. As you said, it is Maya but then not her."

"Have this… other persona manifested herself at any time?"

"Maya called her Ma'ayan in the Commander's office. No, the other persona has not manifested, and Maya is very familiar with all the devices in the apartment. The Holo-vision, the communicators even with the food dispensers, Maya it is not lost as been from a different world."

"What I mean is if this Ma'ayan has manifested without… how would I phrase it? If Ma'ayan has manifested herself as an independent entity because thus far it seems that Maya is doing all the talking."

"It is always Maya."

"Next time you are alone with Maya, ask to speak with Ma'ayan and see what happens."

"Okay, I will do that."

"Maybe she could give us a better understanding on Maya's condition."

"Okay Doctor."

Tony said as he reads an E-Pad and then he says. "Now changing the topic, I had to request from the Commander an executive subpoena to search the records of the gaming servers specifically the P-Box games and found something interesting."

Helena smiles shaking her head and says. "You found out. I am the Piranha in the Call of Honor combat games."

"I am impressed, Doctor. You rank number one among all the online gamers. I can't move out of the 200's, and I have actual combat experience. How do you do it?"

"I have played games since I was a kid. I guess growing up with three big brothers gave me that edge."

"It must be. According to Mentor a security team and hopefully you will use the modified game gear to hack into the Psychon computer to disrupt their attack against us."

"As Mentor takes over the computer, I am sure that is his plan."

"That has been talked among the Commander, Doctor Bergman and I. That would be the only way Mentor can send us back to Earth, if he takes over his planet."

"Maybe it is his condition as an exchange for our services and yet why it feels wrong?"

"The alternative would be the Psychons on the planet take over our minds, and we end up killing each other. We are just passing by their solar system with no intention of attacking them. Yet, they don't make an effort to talk to us so they know of our peaceful intentions."

"When was the last time you spoke to ants in an anthill?"

"Excuse me? When, I spoke to an ant? I have never done that."

"Maybe that is how the Psychons feel about us."

"And Mentor being a Psychon that could mean…?"

"Exactly, we are but ants to him. We have to be careful. We are in the side of Mentor because the Psychons on the planet attacked us."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend?"

"That would be it."

.

Making Connections.

.

Meanwhile, in the research and development section of the science department, Maya has completed the first modified alternate reality immersion game box. Doctor Bergman and Commander Koenig are listening to Maya's explanation on how the modified play-box works.

"As you both know, this P-Box is used for total game immersion. All senses are engaged through the headgear, the vision goggle and the auditory systems supplement the headgear. The modifications that I have done will increase the interaction and communication with the host computer and the P-Box."

"What about the communication system between the Box and the planet's computer?"

"Commander, I required the Exo-Communication system routed through the Stephen Hawking radio telescope in the gold channel frequency," Victor asks. "But there will be a delay of just 0.2 seconds that is a lot of time for anyone to react against any attack."

"Yes, Doctor Bergman. The distance between the Moon and Psychon will cause that delay. But my father will shorten that delay."

"How?"

"Mentor can manipulate time up to a certain extent by the use of a Tachyon field."

John thinks as figuring out something out and asks. "Maya, you have alluded to Mentor as your father and as Mentor several times. Is there an overlapping mental construct between you as Maya and as Mentor's daughter? After all, you are Doctor Maya Roberts."

"I did not notice that peculiarity. I don't know."

"Just pointing that out but continued, please."

"Through the gold frequency, we will contact the Psychon living computer at its speed. Then the team, will move toward the sentient core of the computer and disable the operation matrix by introducing new directive codes. That will shut down the mind projection defense system and the time differential field."

"So, the mind weapon it is a defense system. If we have no ill intent toward the populous on Psychon why they have to attack us?"

"It is not you whom they fear it is my father. Mentor wants to restore the natural time course on the planet by deactivating the time differential field."

"Then he takes over the planet?"

"Actually my father has no aspirations to gain any leadership position over the people of Psychon. All he wants is to avoid a universal cataclysm when this universe reaches the conversion stage into becoming your universe."

Maya is interrupted by John's Comm-link. "Commander."

"Yes Paul?"

"Sir, a large spherical object of about 25 miles in diameter just appeared on lunar orbit."

"Over where?"

"It is 20 degrees west and 18 degrees south at 150 miles altitude… over Mare Nubium."

"Oh, no… is them!" Maya said with a nervous tone and John as Victor both look at her. John goes to say to Paul. "Go to Defense Condition two. Alert Gorski, I am sure he is seen what we are seen."

"Yes Commander."

"Let's go to the M.C.C. Maya, come with us."

"Yes, sir." Victor asks Maya as the three walked out into the hallway. "Maya, you seem uneasy is that a ship from the Psychons?"

"Doctor, it is even worse than the Psychon. That is a ship indeed, and it belongs to the Dorcons. By the dimensions Paul described, that is planetary devastator ship." John asks. "Are they going to attack us?"

"Not us, they are using the Moon as cover from the Psychon mind weapon. Once they are in range, they will destroy Psychon."

As the three walked to the tram terminal, all the personnel around them are securing the different equipment in the hallways. The blast windows covers come down automatically as pressurized doors seal some hallways.

Outside, the missile silos open and the missiles racks pivot as they traverse aiming toward the strange ship. The Eagles as the Shado fighters take off toward their assign areas.

In the M.C.C the key personnel are in their stations as others move about checking the different instrumentation relaying information among each other. Paul receives a message over the secure link. "Alpha control, this is Eagle one. All Eagles are in the assigned stations and awaiting orders."

"Acknowledge last transmission, Alan. Stand by for orders."

"Alpha control, this is Shado one. All fighters are in position."

"Acknowledge, Colonel Ehrlich. Stand by for orders."

Then John enters the M.C.C and asks Paul. "What is the status?"

"Sir, Major Verdeschi's forces are ready. All our birds are on station and the weapons section missile controller is ready. Doctor Russell is ready to receive wounded in the hospital and all field medical stations are ready."

"Good, Paul. Sandra what do you have to report."

"Commander, all internal safety procedures are active. Engineer Zoref reports that all power generation systems are up and her damage control teams are ready. The Alpha personnel are distributed across the base as planned."

"Kano."

"The computer is operating at capacity, and the link to the E-Collider computer is normal. All sensors and scanning platforms are operating normally."

"Paul, do we have any news from our neighbors?"

"Gorski's executive officer reports that they are ready."

"Paul, show me the alien ship in the Holo-screen."

"Yes, sir."

The holographic representation of the immense warship it is seen by all in the M.C.C. The texture of the sphere is smooth although solid it undulates slightly as a bubble of air in water. It is of a high polish silver color, no windows, no markings or any other features are seen. John turns to Maya and asks. "Why aren't they over Alpha or over Tranquility base?"

"Commander, as I said before, they are not here for Alpha or Tranquility. The Dorcon commander is hovering in an area were the effects of the Psychons mind weapon is minimal or none existent." Victor asks. "Who are this Dorcons?"

"For millions of years, they have been the enemies of the Psychons. The Dorcons were at one time subservient to the Psychons, and in hiding, they built a fleet of warships taking all of the Psychons Federation except for the home solar system. Mentor's medical stasis field was transformed by the Archanon council creating the mind weapon stopping the Dorcons from taking over this solar system. Then based on that technology, the Archanon in Psychon built the time differential field."

"That is what your father wants to shut down, the time differential field?"

"Yes, Commander. However, now things are complicated with the Dorcons hiding behind the Moon."

"You said they are not after us?"

"But the Psychons will think that we are in league with the Dorcons by them seeking shelter around our Moon. If there is a military confrontation, the weapons to be used are as powerful as a Gamma burst from a dying supernova."

"So the Psychons they do have weapons besides the mind weapon?"

"Commander, when my father and I were expelled from Psychon, they had them as well as ships. Even if the Psychons do not have them at this moment the Archanon will order the manufacture of ships and weapons that could be constructed in a matter of hours. At least that is the Psychons I remember they would do."

Sandra goes to say. "Commander, the energy signature of the alien ship is equal to several million signals at the edges of the solar system." John and Victor exchange looks of surprise and John says. "Paul, pull back the view and show the other contacts."

"Yes sir." Paul does what John asked and now a large view of the Psychons solar system is shown displaying the contacts. John slowly turns to Maya and asks. "A siege?"

"That is what it looks like." Victor goes on to say. "But… but, those are millions of ships. What are they waiting for to invade the Psychons?"

Maya answers. "I think they have been waiting for an opportunity as this one to hide behind an errant space body." Victor replies. "There are thousands of natural space bodies in this solar system even more massive than our Moon. Why not just find cover behind them?"

"Because none of those other space bodies have the shield we have. The Dorcon siege fleet could have been waiting for millions of years for the opportunity we are offering now. One ship of theirs can wipe out Psychon."

.

Ancient Fear.

.

Then the lights flicker as well as the computers. Then the power goes out in the M.C.C. All look about as the emergency lights come on. On the floor in the center of the room, a circle of light is seen, and a figure appears into existence over it.

A humanoid form in a dark tight uniform materializes showing on the shoulders small gold color Zigzagging markings. The humanoid's feet are hoofs, and on its head, two circumventing horns like a Ram are seen coming out from the long dark hair.

All in the M.C.C can distinguish the intruder on being a female with purple skin, and the eyes are entire of a platinum color. The strange visitor slowly turns her head as to make an assessment of her surroundings. A silent ancestral fright engulfs all in the M.C.C as they look at the creature.

The personnel in Alpha control once more regain their senses from fear. Two security guards rush to apprehend the intruder, but Maya yells. "STOP! Or you will die before you even get close enough!" The two guards back away both still unnerved by the visitor's presence.

The intruder looks at Maya and in a language that no human has ever heard she speaks to Maya. Then Maya answers in the same language. John shifts his head slightly toward Maya and without losing eye contact with the intruder he breaks his cold silence and asks. "What… what, did she said?"

"She is a Dorcon. Right now all human life on the Moon is in peril of death by her. Let her be."

John takes a deep breath not liking the intrusion and way less he likes the notion of allowing the strange visitor to walk unrestrained in the base. John asks Maya again. "What did she said and what you answer her?"

"If I was a pure Psychon and I told her that I am a hybrid."

The woman walks toward the central interface of the main computer that covers the right wall of the M.C.C. She stops, and the computer's display screens come back on showing pictures, videos as documents at a fast pace.

John notices that in certain instances the displays slowdown as if the intruder found something of interest and then the information displayed resumes the high speed as before.

Then the computer stops and the intruder turn walking toward Maya. John takes a defensive posture standing in between Maya and the intruder. She stops and smiles, showing long fangs and in English the woman says. "You are Koenig, John the Commander."

"Yes I am and you?"

"First centurion Kovar of the all-powerful Dorcons Empire and you had contacts with Mentor?"

"Yes, we had, and this is his daughter, Maya."

"No, she is not. I have met Ma'ayan in battle and this… thing, it is not her."

"Why have you come here?" John asks.

"To know who you are and to warn you, do not interfere with the Empire designs or all life on this rouge moon will cease in a blink of an eye."

Then for the surprise of all John says. "Why not do it now?" Kovar laughs as she does this, small wings expand from her back, Kovar's laugh takes over the M.C.C, and it is unsettling for all.

Then Kovar slowly retracts the wings gaining her composure and then looks at John to say. "I like your audacity, but your destruction does not suit us, not yet."

"It is Mentor, who is stopping you or something else?"

Kovar takes a step forward toward John raising her fist as her eyes glow red. Her wings once more expand and in livid anger Kovar replies. "Foul creature, you defied the Empire!"

"You saw our human history. We can be a thorn on your side if we want to."

"You have been warned… insect!"

The circle of light reappears under Kovar, and she fades away. The main lights as all the instruments return to normal after the phantasmagorical apparition vanishes.

Victor robs his arms as having a child from intense fear and says. "My hairs on my neck stud up. That creature looked like a demon." Maya answers. "To all accounts and from the point of view of humans, that was a demon."

Victor turns to John and says. "Now what, John? They have the technology to Teleport a fast active pathogen in the base and kill us all. Heck, maybe they just did."

"We are not dead, and they have not blasted us from the surface. Either we are as she described me, insects of no consequence or Mentor is somehow protecting us."

"Then why give us a warning for us not to disturb their plans."

"Maybe, she saw something in the historical records." John pauses and then turns to Kano. "Kano, I want to know in what parts of her search in the computer she slowed down."

"Information, that she showed interest?"

"Correct. Pass that information to my desk."

"Yes, sir." Then John turns to Paul. "Keep the Def-Con 2, until further orders."

"Yes, sir."

"Victor, Maya, come to my office."

.

To be known.

.

John seats behind his desk as Maya and Victor in front. John looks down on his desk opens his eyes wide and then looks at his guests to say. "She is the second alien life form we have encountered, and that creature did scare me. Kovar is way different from you Maya, or Mentor being more human-like."

"The Dorcons have not evolved in appearance for millions of years."

"Do all Dorcons look like her, Maya?"

"Yes, Commander and the males are taller." Victor goes to say with surprise. "She was at least close to seven feet tall. Wow. Why it could not be the little grey ones?"

John answers in a jovial tone. "Victor, none of us has seen an extraterrestrial until now. Formally the only sentient lives in our Galaxy are humans, contrary to the odds in this universe."

Maya smiles and says. "Have you ever wondered, Commander why the Shado fighters were design and built before the Eagles?"

"The first models of the Shado fighters and the Eagles were built at the same time during the Euro-war," Victor replied and Maya answers. "The early versions of the Shado fighters have been in used on the Moon since the 2020's."

"There was no lunar base in the early 21st century on the Moon to be using Shado fighters."

John looks at Victor then to Maya, not liking the new turn of the conversation they both engaged and he rapidly changes the topic by asking a relevant question about their current situation. "To all this, where is Mentor?"

John successfully disengages Victor and Maya from their conversation both turn to him and Maya answers. "He will show when need be, Commander."

Victor turns to John and says with a mild agitated tone. "Wait… John, Maya's knowledge of the Moon's history seems to be vast. I want to know when in the early 21st century there was a lunar base and for what it was used."

John is upset by Victor's intent of knowing more when Kano's voice comes out from the Comm-link on John's desk. "Commander, the information you requested is in your desk."

"Thank you Kano."

John opens the screen and browses the information, and he says as he continues to browse. "Victor, Maya you both should drop that conversation about a mystery lunar base. Let's stay focus in the now that is where I need your mind to be Doctor Bergman."

Victor stays uncomfortably silent as wanting to continue asking Maya more about the mysterious origins of the Shado fighters as she implied, then John says. "Um, our visitor was interested in Earth's military history."

Victor asks. "All of it?"

"Yes all of it but she slowdown in some historical battles. Wow, there are some battles here that I never heard about before, and I consider myself a military historian." Maya asks. "Which battles?"

"Well, the battle of Carrhae in 53 BC, the battle of Agincourt in 1415 AD, the siege of Malta in 1565 AD… um?"

John continues browsing silently and then says. "I know these, the 77th battalion in the Argonne forest during the First World War. The Battle of Bastogne in 1944 and also Taffy three during the battle of Samar near the Philippines 1944."

Victor smiles and says. "I am sure you pass one, my old American friend."

"Which one?"

"The second battle of Lacolle Mill, I think it was in 1814."

John browses again and finds the historical battle. He reads it then looks at Victor and says in a jovial tone. "I always thought Canadians were a friendly bunch."

"Not if someone crosses us, hee."

Maya bends her torso slightly toward John and asks. "What is so interesting about these battles?"

"These battles were won by an inferior force over a superior one. I guess this is why she gave us that warning. She did slow down the computer to read this herself."

"That is correct, Commander. But the visitation of the Dorcon does not derail our timetable or plans." John, Victor, and Maya turn to look to see Mentor in the room. John slowly stands up and asks Mentor. "Why, the Dorcons have not attacked us?"

"I contacted them as soon as they enter in orbit. They requested that one of them would come in person to obtain information about humankind and I allow that."

"Mentor, we are not pawns for you to play with. The only reason we are going along with your plan is for us to leave this solar system unharmed from the Psychon weapon."

"I understand your position Commander Koenig, but the sequence of events that need to take place required our mutual cooperation. Allowing the Dorcons access to your computer is my way on cooperating with you for your continued survival. For all of you to return to Earth you need my protection. The arrival of the Dorcons is unexpected, and it needed a quick resolution."

"What did you told them?"

"The truth of all that has transpired since we arrived, they are not interested in you. They want Psychon, and that puts me in a delicate position. If the mind weapon is disengaged, the Dorcons will lay waste to Psychon, and if I don't stop the weapon, all of you will die once I leave your Moon."

"Our Moon? We had the impression that the Moon is your structure cover by space debris for millions of years."

"Not at all correct Doctor Bergman. The structure you have encountered under the lunar strata is a thin wall of a compound called by my people as Metroxfin."

"Metroxfin? How did you arrive in our Universe in the first place?" John asked, Mentor smiles, and he says. "My apologies Commander, I have not explained my physical nature. We have been so busy. I am what you would call a disembody entity."

"Like a ghost?"

"Not like a ghost, Doctor Bergman. I am a sentient intelligent program that once was a Psychon male. While trying to destroy the time dilation system, I was caught, and in a tribunal, I was sentenced to disembodiment then place in the Metroxfin. Send into your universe to drift for millions of years until my prison landed on your Moon. I gain control over the Metroxfin and expand it over the surface of your then, small Moon."

"Why you covered the Moon?"

"To collect Tachyons for one day return to Psychon and I went dormant until the Tachyons I was collecting would be enough to return here. According to my calculations, I should have collected enough Tachyons in three million years more, but your friend Gorski and his weapon change all that. He woke me up, for me to return home."

"The I.G.A weapon."

"Yes, Commander, that weapon used in conjunction with your E-Collider extracted more Tachyons from this universe for me to use. During that process of collection of Tachyons, I changed the nature of his weapon effects to convert the humans attacked by it as my eyes and ears to obtain information on all of you. "

"You and your daughter were dormant until Gorski used his weapon?"

"Yes, Doctor Bergman."

"Then, how come Maya knows about an early base on the Moon?"

Mentor turns to Maya as asking her in silence, and she replies. "Remember the plankton breathers, father."

"Oh, yes… them. We did awaken a couple of times by any commotion on the Moon. But we have more pressing matters in the now, my daughter."

"Yes, father."

Victor is about to ask about the plankton breathers he just heard about, but Mentor goes on to say. "Actually, I want to give you something as proof of my good intentions." Mentor points to Victor's E-Pad on his hands, and new information is added. Victor looks at it, and John asks. "What is that?"

"John… this looks like plans to use the E-Collider as a faster than light engine."

"There is more, Doctor Bergman. The E-Collider will also generate a force field to protect the whole Moon as you travel back home. You will have full navigation and propulsion control over the Moon. Also, you can improve your ships."

"Thank you."

"You are welcome, Commander. After all, I am the one that brought all of you here due to my needs. Once I return to Psychon, I will take my prison down to the planet, and you will lack the means to return if not for the information I just gave you."

"Wait, how are you going to take the structure from under us without destroying the Moon's surface?"

"Commander, Metroxfin is a mineable substance. I will coalesce my prison to its prior dimensions that are as big as the Dorcon ship in orbit. Then fly out from the Moon toward the planet."

"Why can't you do that now?"

"Commander, I can't do that yet not until the living computer on the planet is disabled. Also, I lack the mobility to do so."

"Father."

"Yes, darling?'

"What am I… am I really your daughter? That Dorcon woman said that she had met me before and I don't look like Ma'ayan?"

"Of course you are my beloved one, my little girl. But the need to maintain the amount of Tachyons in my reserves was of the utmost importance. I released you to stop the Moon using the E-Collider to save my reserves but interesting to me is why you decided to take the form of Dr. Roberts."

Maya looks down and says. "I saw into the memories of Tony, when he touched the wall. It was his memories of her that brought me to take her form, and she was the person I could be equal to in knowledge."

"And she is the only one with a full understanding of the E-Collider as the physical ramifications on its use."

John turns to Mentor and asks. "Is she Dr. Roberts or your daughter?"

"Your Doctor Roberts is my daughter both are, and it is my believed that she will continue with you to Earth."

"Yes father, I will continue."

"You see Commander. My daughter fell in love with Tony Verdeschi."

"Not with him father, but with Maya and she is happy with Tony."

"Well, my daughter that is a revelation." All stay silent for a moment and then Mentor goes to say. "Commander you must complete the modifications of the alternate reality boxes, also to start the modifications of your gravity towers network and the E-Collider."

Victor answers. "The boxes are almost completed."

"We will need six boxes for a small group of Alphans as Mr. Gorski's people to enter the living computer on Psychon."

"Why his people?"

"Commander, this is a human endeavor. You might see a difference between them and you, but all of you are human. The boxes need to be ready in the next three days when the Moon comes around the sun."

"What about the Dorcons?"

"Leave them to me. As you would say, this is a team effort and also, Doctor Bergman you better start with the modifications to the E-Collider that I just gave you. Soon things will happen really fast."

.

The modifications.

.

An hour later, Victor is in the Science section talking to his assistant Doctor Carolyn Powell both are going over the modifications of the E-Collider as techs move boxes and other instruments toward the science landing pad. "Carolyn, you will have to modify all the gravity towers around the main collider as the ones around the first stage colliders."

"What about the output lines from the E-Collider's main base?"

"Do the output lines last as with the synchronization of the first stage colliders. The gravity towers are the priority. The even number towers will transmit the main Tachyon torsion field for faster than light propulsion. The odd number towers will transmit the maneuvering graviton field and the navigation protection shield."

"With the modifications to the towers crystalline carbon emitters and re-routing the power, the towers will handle the output. But the Tachyons will stay inside the power lines from the main collider?"

"If the whole system is shielded with gravity fields, the Tachyons will stay in the lines all the way to the towers emitters."

One of the techs walks up to the two scientists, and she says. "Doctor Powell, the Eagles are loaded."

"Okay, I will be there." The tech leaves and Carolyn turns to Victor to ask. "Doctor, if this information is not accurate we could implode the Moon by creating a gravity well."

"Rerun the computer simulation. This will work."

"Why not build a ship with the same propulsion and navigation system to return home."

"Right now this is quicker solving our immediate circumstances, than building a ship big enough to fit over a thousand people and who knows how many Gorski has in his side. Besides, the assembly line in hangar pad number 12 is building the new Eagle."

"Okay, just throwing that out about a bigger ship than an Eagle. I will see you in 48 hours."

"Okay, see you then."

.

Love, anger and flying desks.

.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the science section, Maya is completing the last adjustments to the virtual reality P-Box game devices. Tony is silently watching her as he stands reclining his body against a desk with his arms cross. Maya is quietly working, but she can tell her husband is upset about something.

"Who are you?" Maya lifts her torso toward him and then she rests her hands on the workstation facing Tony, and she replies. "Wow, he finally speaks."

"You say that of me in the third person. Is there someone else in the room?"

"No, just us."

"Just the two of us or the three of us?"

"Don't you have a thief to catch or something?"

"I want to know. When you are letting my wife free?"

"Get out!"

"Or what, you will turn into King Kong!"

Suddenly Maya starts to transform in a silver back 800 pounds gorilla. This time her uniform melds in texture to the fur of the animal. Her now red eyes are fixed on Tony. The ex-special forces soldier erects his body from the desk not allowing being intimidated and takes one step forward to say with a furious tone. "Is this is how you are going to try to win an argument?"

"If I were you, I would leave!"

"My human wife would not resolve to turn into a gorilla."

"This is how I felt when you argued with me. This is to show you how I feel now."

"Well, now Commander Koenig can say to Gorski, we have a Hulk."

"Hey, we can take that route if you take me there."

"You know, forget it. When Mentor leaves, I want you… whatever your name is, to leave with him and return my wife."

Tony takes another step forward looks at Maya straight in her eyes and says. "I will not tolerate you having my wife as a hostage for your or Mentor's benefit. I don't know if all along my wife has been allowed to talk at all by you."

Tony turns and walks toward the door when a heavy desk flies next to him hitting the wall. He reacts by moving his body away from the impact area, and he turns, and Maya says in anger. "I am the one that has the She-Hulk, around here."

Techs and other personnel run in the hallway to stop at the other side of the door seen the jet black curly long hair ten feet tall green woman. Victor runs into view and with caution enters the room. "Tony, Maya… what the hell!?"

Maya returns to her normal figure as her uniform. "Sorry Doctor Bergman… but he gets on my nerves when he is in asshole mode."

Tony points at Maya and says. "I just gave you your eviction notice. My Maya never resorted to throwing desks at walls. She can pull her own weight… if she is allowed to."

Tony turns and walks away. Maya hits the workstation desk and walks in the opposite direction into the adjacent office. Victor is in the middle not knowing what to do when Helena walks in. "Victor, what happened here?"

Victor shakes his head raising his arms in a loss for words and then drops them to say. "Tony and Maya argued and… and, she looked like the She-Hulk."

"Where is she at?"

"In my office, and she is angry at the world."

Helena in a brisk pace walks to the office, she stops at the door, and she knocks softly. "Maya is Doctor Russell. May I come in?"

In a soft, sad tone Maya replies. "Yes, please."

Helena enters to see Maya seating on a sofa crying. Helena seats next to her and puts her arm around her. "Tony is worried about you."

"He has a funny way on showing it."

Helena slightly pulls Maya to her side, and then Maya commences to cry without restraint. "I…I, love him." Maya said.

"He loves you too, and none of you ever dared to sign the divorce papers. Actually, he is more worry than anyone on this Moon for you. Give him time."

"Who am I? Mentor's daughter or Maya Roberts?"

"You are you."

"Other people are slowly accepting me. Even Commander Koenig and Dr. Bergman offered me a position as a science officer in the Main Mission Center. But Tony is changing toward rejection."

"You know Tony's life… how he had to endure years in foster homes and the only family he ever had was in the military. On his own, he built a private security company to guard no less the Moon at his young age. He is pragmatic and cynical in his ways."

"Like a cop… I know. My Dad was one."

"Just like a cop and that is the man you fell in love with."

"But Tony won't let go and who is to say that my parents back home will accept me."

"Your Parents will always be your parents and you their little girl, but husbands are sometimes kids that fear of losing the one they love."

"He is not losing me… he makes me lose my temper… but he is not losing me."

"You have to show him that, of course… he has to pay, just a bit for making you throw that desk across the room."

Maya finally smiles and says. "He has it coming." Someone knocks on the door, and Helena says. "One moment, please."

"Is me, Commander Koenig." Helena hugs Maya and says. "Be strong girl." Then the good Doctor stands and walks to the door opening it. "Is all alright?" John asked with a worried expression.

"Yes, is alright. I had a woman to woman talk with Maya, and now, you need to have a man to man talk with your security chief."

"I… I, don't…" "Yes, Commander you do have to talk to him. Doctor's orders."

"Okay, okay… I'll talk to him." Maya goes to say. "But Doctor, the Commander doesn't…" "Yes, he does, and I don't want to hear a word against it. Excuse me, Commander."

John moves to the side as Helena passes. Once she is out of view, he says with a smile. "Wow."

Then Maya stands as she cleans her face from her tears and says with a smile. "You like her."

"No, no. I don't want rumors."

"You better reel her in. I think she likes you too."

"I just came to check on your progress."

"The boxes are ready, and the landline communication is set. All we need is the players."

"This is no game."

"I know, that is why I said… reel her in."

.

Plan B.

.

On the Mare Nubium highway 43, that it runs in a north to a south direction the large cargo land vehicle that carries the I.G.A weapon stops and the crew gets out to prepare the weapon to be used. Gorski steps out from one of the escorting vehicles with Gloria and Natasha. The three are observing the large silver sphere hovering miles above them. "Sir, what are we waiting for?" Gloria asked over the Comm-link.

"For Mentor."

Then Natasha asks. "Sir, the old G.P.S network modifications needs power and…" "Quiet!" Gorski said interrupting Natasha then he turns around in livid anger toward her and he says. "Do not talk about that. I forbid you. Not while we are in the suits!"

"Sorry, sir." Gloria smiles at Natasha's reprimand and then she asks. "Sir, is this guy Mentor to be trusted?"

"At least I can prove that I am punctual unlike you." The three turn to see Mentor behind them and Gorski replies. "Koenig has too many patrols about. That is the last thing I want for them to find, the weapon."

"Discretion is warranted. Now, what about those old towers your lieutenant was talking about?"

"We are modifying them to disrupt Alpha's surveillance systems."

"I see. Do you know what to do here?"

"I know what to do. It is simple, just aim and fire. What I don't know is the why?"

"You will understand when you see it."

"See what?"

"As you called it, plan B. The Dorcons ship has some… how would I say it? Equipment that I don't have and I need."

"Weapons?"

"I am not looking for that, but I am sure they can be useful tools. I need the propulsion system of that ship."

"Hold on. You can't move?"

"Once I conjoined my prison it will be as big as that ship. The Dorcons ship will drop low enough after you fire your weapon at it so that I can merge with it."

"I see, that is the transportation you were waiting for. What about the Dorcons inside?"

"They will die. After all, they are the enemies of my kind. Then I can move freely and once the living computer on my planet is offline I will merge with it."

"Explain to me how can you merge with anything at all?"

"You will see soon. The living computer is in a low orbit around my planet. Once I merge with it, I will set things right on my planet."

One of Gorski's men walks up to him to report. "Sir, we are ready."

"Okay." Then Gorski turns to Mentor and asks. "When are we shooting at them?"

"You will feel a small tremor at that moment get ready. When you see a large silver pillar rising from the east toward that ship, then open fire."

"We are ready as it is."

"Good, now I will be in Alpha to start your return home." Slowly, Mentor vanishes. Gloria turns to Gorski. "This dude freaks me out."

"He is our ticket home. Gloria, Natasha I want you both to help to camouflage the weapon and the vehicles."

"Yes sir."

"Yes sir."

.

The gravity towers.

.

Doctor Carolyn Powell is overseeing the modifications of the gravity towers at the northern edge of the Gilbert crater. She is out of the Eagle and next to her is Tanya Alexander. As the techs work on the gravity towers, Tanya's security detail forms a perimeter around the work site for protection. "Doctor, how many more towers you have left?" Tanya asked.

"Team B is completing their assigned towers. Team C is moving to their last 30 towers on the far side of the Moon. Team D and E are laying the cables from the E-Collider main base, and they will be done in one hour."

"So, one more hour?"

"No, between teams B, C and this one we have about two more hours."

"Wait, you told Doctor Bergman 48 hours."

"I did not lie. I will see him in… 38 hours from now. The part in all this that will consume the most time is synchronizing the first stage accelerators to work in unison to release the trap Tachyons into the main accelerator. Then transfer the energy into the gravity tower system."

"Then we can go home?"

"Then we can go home."

"I am no scientist but how much power we need for the E-Collider to move the Moon?"

"Believe me, a lot of Helium three. Lucky for us we collected process H-3 from the refineries. If we need to, we can collect more and process it. There is plenty of that stuff all over, especially on the far side of the Moon."

"I am a bit lost here, Doctor. The Moon how much it weights?"

"Well, the Moon is a free fall object and weights nothing."

"Nothing!? The Moon is massive it has to have weight?"

"On Earth, we relate mass to weight because there is gravity for us to measure how much weight objects have in relation to its mass."

"Ya, I understand that."

"Okay, a tennis ball weights less on Earth than a ball of lead both being of the same size. But in space both weight zero, not until they are near a larger gravity well of a more massive object. It is all relative to something."

"So how these towers will move the Moon faster than the speed of light?"

"For what Mentor explain to us, which is not a strange alien science, will create a mass by rotating Tachyons around the Moon thus avoiding increasing the mass of the Moon."

"More like a hurricane in motion."

"Exactly but the difference from a hurricane with an erratic movement is that we can control the rotation of the Tachyons around the Moon and we sit in the tranquil eye of the storm as it moves."

"How do you drive the Moon, like a car?"

"We can shift the rotation of the Tachyons to steer the Moon, but it will not be turning on the spot like a car. To make any corrections we need to be at least, three astronomical distances to avoid a collision. Taking into account the gravity well of the object interacting with the Moon."

"So, we can move away from an Earth-size planet at 3 A.U's, but if it is a black hole, we would need to move away from it at a larger distance."

"If it is a black hole we need to be light years away to make that turn away from it."

"Wow… what is that Mentor shows us that we did not have before?"

"A way to captured and manipulate Tachyons, giving them a direction in a rotating sphere in torsion around the Moon. We already had the energy requirements and the hardware to do it."

"That is how he brought us here?"

"Yes, but he was using the structure under us like a battery. Mentor spent millions of years collecting Tachyons for him to return here."

"He spent millions of years collecting Tachyons? Wow."

"Mentor used the E-Collider as a Tachyon collector accelerating the gathering of Tachyons for him to use. Then using his structure as a rotational accelerator moved the Moon. Now we will use the gravity tower system as a rotational accelerator to steer the Moon as he used his structure."

"But, if he collected enough Tachyons why not just leave and leaving the Moon and us behind?"

"According to Maya, he would have needed to keep the E-Collider functioning for a year to collect enough to stop himself when arriving here."

"A year? In that term of time, we would have found a way to stop him and the E-Collider."

"That is what he calculated. He even resorted on deceiving us making us believe we were still in orbit around the Earth while we were in transit here to avoid any problems for him from us. He used the E-Collider to stop us for him to save his reserves."

"While we were preoccupied with Gorski and his people, Mentor took advantage of that by moving the Moon. So he can leave the Moon at any time he wanted having his own propulsion."

"That is correct Tanya."

"So he has limits to his powers. If he needed to use the E-Collider has his breaking system."

"Everything in the universe has limits the situation is how to make something reach its limits and Mentor's limits are too high for us to reach."

One of the techs is heard in the Comm-link. "Doctor Powell, we are done here."

"Did you run the analytic routine in the system?"

"All checks out. We are ready to move to the other towers."

"Good, those towers will be the last ones for us. Bring everyone to the Eagles."

"Yes, Doctor."

.

Alan's new toy.

.

Connected under each landing pad in Alpha, there is a large hangar for the Eagles and Shado fighters as other aviation vehicles. Several sections of these facilities are dedicated to the full assembly of Eagles as well as the fighters.

Other sections are for repairs and services. The whole hangar would remind anyone of a large aircraft carrier hangar deck as well as a car and aviation manufacture assembly line.

The main manufacture company of the Eagles as for the Shado fighters is the Dalotek global conglomerate. Their financial empire it extends in all the fields of human needs, comfort and defense, they are also the parent company of many mining companies on the Moon.

All the techs in Alpha are trained by Dalotek agent's contractors to maintain and repair their products from small bio-computer systems to the full assembling of Eagle space crafts.

In hangar pad 12 in one of the assembly areas. Victor and Alan are inspecting the first Eagle capable of reaching 75% the speed of light. At first glance, the new Eagle looks like any other with the exception of four domes each one placed over the center of each of the four fuel landing assembly tanks.

Alan is back from his rotation watch of the standby alert due to the Def-con 2 condition ordered by Commander Koenig. Every 12 hours an Eagle returns from its alert watch, and another one leaves to take its alert station.

Victor is talking as Alan browses in an E-Pad the specs of the new Eagle. "… Alan, this Eagle has the same maneuvering characteristics of a regular Eagle. Of course, the fusion reactor is bigger as the extra-fuel pod in the rear."

"I guess that is why it is a few square meters larger than the regular Eagles but it still has the fixed pressurized Ion gravity engines."

"Yes, you only need the new Tachyon torsion engines to travel at 75% S.O.L."

"So, we still need the regular engines at normal speeds?"

"That is correct. The Tachyon engines are to catch up with the Moon at its cruising speed."

"JA, oh… boy. The Moon has a cruising speed… that is funny."

"The Moon always had a cruising speed in orbit around the Earth. It is that now the Moon travels at 50% the speed of light. You know what happened to Bartlett and Clive when we all thought we were still in orbit around the Earth."

"They verily made it back."

"They were lucky they noticed on time that the Moon was traveling above the speed of light and they still had some momentum to return."

"Also that they were in an Eagle, I feel sorry for all that people in the Phoenix. I knew its captain. He was a retired Colonel from the U.S Air Force."

"That was a misfortune." Both stay silent looking at the New Eagle and then Alan asks. "When am I flying this baby?"

"Not yet. Not until we are out of this solar system."

"I guess the Commander doesn't want to show his good hand."

"I am sure Gorski knows about this new Eagle version. Gorski has people among us working for him."

"That is what he told me in the Antares station. So, this new Eagle could be a surprise for those aliens in the sphere above the Moon."

"Yes… maybe, we don't want to show too much, so they don't think we are a threat to them."

"Are we a threat to them?"

"I doubt that. Let's go in to show you the new avionics in the cockpit."

"Okay."

.

The new players.

.

The area that is the property of the I.L.O where Moonbase Alpha is located at, it covers an area of 100 square miles. The base's buildings and attached structures cover 75 square miles springing from the center. There is an open area of 25 miles between the fence demarcating the property line and the actual base.

Surrounding the property is a fence made of laced Titanium with Nano-carbon fibers. To anyone seen this fence, it would look like a regular chain-link fence with floodlights directed in and out the property.

Tony Verdeschi is at the main perimeter gate of Alpha. The whole area in front of the gate is cover with abandon land vehicles at both sides of the main highway leading into the base, left there during the Exodus protocol activation. Tony is with a platoon sizes security force waiting for a vehicle that will arrive at the gate in a few minutes.

"Major, why we are bringing these people into Alpha?" Sergeant Sanchez asked. "We are following orders from the Commander. We are only allowing three of them." Then from the Comm-link all hear Corporal Kelly. "This is observation team one, to security one."

"Go for Verdeschi."

"Sir, I see headlights approaching your position."

"What kind of vehicle is it?"

"It is a four-passenger, six wheel lunar Hummer. I see no mounted weapons."

"Team one, stay put and alert."

"Yes sir, standing by."

Then Tony raises his arm with his index finger raised and making a circling motion he says over the Comm-link. "Okay, people take your positions, sniper one report." As Tony moves toward the gate, the sniper team reports. "We got you cover."

By now the headlights of the vehicle are seen coming from behind the hill. Tony and Sergeant Sanchez are standing at the gate. Now the lights of the approaching vehicle illuminate the gate. "Major, I hope the Commander is right about this."

"So do I."

The vehicle stops at 40 feet from the gate and Tony points to a sign already placed with instruction to all drivers entering the gate. On the sign in large red letter it reads, turn lights off while approaching the gate. The vehicle turns off the lights, Tony and Sanchez walk to the vehicle.

They flash their body lights and count three people, two women and a man all wearing spacesuits. Tony gives them the hand signal for the new arrivals to puts their helmets on, and they do.

Sanchez signals them to dismount the vehicle, and the three complied. Tony shows his suit's digital interface on his right forearm displaying a radio frequency, and the man sees it and changes his suit Comm-link frequency. "I am Brent, and my two companions are Jessica and Maria."

"I am Major Verdeschi. All of you walk to the gate. We are leaving your vehicle here." Brent signals his companions to follow and all five walk, Tony leads as Sanchez follow behinds the group.

Once on the gate, other security members scan the visitors for weapons or explosives. Once all are cleared, a wheel personnel transport comes into view and the middle door slides open. "The Commander is waiting." Tony said and points to the vehicle.

"Thank you, Major."

.

Into the Shadows of the past.

.

In a section of the science department in Alpha, a large room has been set with six incline game interface chairs. In front of each chair, there is a P-Box game console each box has extra wiring connecting to them to the servers placed in the room. Maya and Victor are once more checking the system. As both work, Victor remembers something and turns to Maya. "I have a question."

"Yes, Doctor?"

"You mention, in the Commander's office that there was a moonbase in the 2020's before the official colonization dates of the Moon. That is 30 years before the construction of Tranquility base and even before anyone came up with designing Alpha."

"The Commander was upset about that topic."

"He wanted us to be focus on the topic he called us for to discuss with him in his office. That lunar base has me intrigued."

"It's still there."

"Where?"

"It is on the east side of Mare Imbrium by the Apennine mountain range."

"In the Imbrium… umm? All I know of that area is that it belongs to Dalotek Corp. I think they experiment and design exotic Ion gravity propulsion systems. They do have a base there but not since the 2020's. No one did."

"Doctor, believe me, that was the first base on the Moon. Dalotek does more in there than research. Actually, I believe that if not for that base, Alpha and the push to colonize the Moon would have never happen."

"Really?"

"Of course there were many outside and independently from Dalotek pushing for the lunar colonization before and after the Euro-war. However, all is due to that base and the organization that ran its operations."

"What organization?"

"The personnel of that base called it S.H.A.D.O."

"Wait, like the Shado fighters?"

"Yes, they used the early versions of the fighter as an interceptor."

"Intercepting what?"

"The Plankton breathers."

"I am at a loss here. Plankton is only found on Earth's oceans, not on the Moon."

"Maybe that is why they were interested on Earth, because of the large quantities of Plankton in Earth's oceans."

"They did not come for our oceans water but its plankton and that is the name of their race?"

"That is how my father and I called them because that is what they respired in a green fluid. We never found out what they call themselves. But their ships use the same torsion propulsion technology we are going to use to control the movements of the Moon."

"Wait… what kind of ships?"

"Flying saucers."

Then John walks in and says. "Is all ready?" Maya turns to John and replies. "Yes sir. All the connections are in optimal parameters, and the link to the radio telescope is good."

"Very well. Gorski's people are in the base. Victor, come with me."

Victor follows John, but he is looking at Maya to say. "I will ask more about that later."

"Sure thing, Doctor Bergman." Maya replied, and she turns to her work.

John and Victor walk into the hallway and both stop at a distance from the door. "Victor, what is this I just heard that Helena would be one of the players."

"The computer selected her."

"She needs to be monitoring the physical condition of the players not been part of this."

"I don't make the computer select the people. Helena has been in international competitions on these games since she was 12 years old. That is how she paid for part of her tuitions for medical school."

"I don't care what she did since 12. She is out. Get the second runner-up and put him or her on that chair. She is the senior medical officer and her job is to monitor the health of those players."

"Okay, okay… I'll get the runner-up, and I will tell Helena."

"No, I will tell her. You contact the runner-up." As John turns Victor goes to ask. "John, Maya have been telling me some things, have you ever heard of an organization called Shado?"

John stops abruptly with his eyes wide open as his heart skips a beat when he heard Victor said Shado. He calms down and slowly turns to Victor. He looks at his old friend with a worry expression.

Then Victor notices John changing to a stern, commanding face and John walks close to Victor to answer him in a low tone of voice. "Yes, I do know, and you should stop asking questions about that."

"Why?"

"Because after all this is over and we are back home is better that no one on Earth knows that you even have a hint of S.H.A.D.O. Stop asking Maya about it or anything related to it. Am I clear?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good, now go get that other player."

.

The plan.

.

Since the hospital has no permanent patients and no need for the walking clinics as once had before the activation of the Exodus protocol, Helena decided to centralize all medical functions in the large E.R level. Not needing the rest of the large vacant hospital with the exception of the surgery areas.

A few minutes later, John arrives at the hospital tram station of the emergency department area where Helena has moved her medical staff using the area as her new medical center. No one can enter the rest of the hospital, but through the E.R area, the main lobby area of the hospital and any other access to the unoccupied structure are close.

John walks up to the counter of the main reception area and asks the nurse. "Where is Doctor Russell?"

"I will locate her for you." The nurse looks on her screen and says. "She is in her office, Commander."

"Thank you." John walks pass the reception area into the E.R when he sees Doctor Mathias overseen the rearrangement of two of the rooms. John stops to look, and Mathias walks up to him. "Commander."

"Doctor. What are you guys doing here?"

"We are converting these two rooms into surgical rooms."

"You are not going to use the main surgical rooms upstairs?"

"If we have to, we will. But these two will be for a rapid surgical, medical response. We already converted five rooms into I.C.U's. Doctor Russell is trying to centralize all here. Think of the rest of the empty hospital as a large medical supply closet."

"Makes sense. I came to see Doctor Russell."

"She is in her office."

"Thank you, Doctor."

John walks down the hallway and arrives at his destination and presses the door call button. "One moment." Helena said through the speaker and seconds later the door opens. "Commander, what brings you to these parts?"

"I hope I am not interrupting, may I come in?"

"Sure, excuse the mess. I have been converting this office as my living quarters as well as my work area."

"I see. My university dormitory was a bit tidier, well my roommate kept me online. But excuse me. I know you are moving in."

"Where did you go for your higher education?"

"I went to the Air Force Academy and you?"

"Oxford medical."

John looks about and sees on a screen in front of the sofa a P-Box game in pause, and he says. "Victor told me that you play in games since you were 12 years old and you paid your medical school tuition playing the games."

"Even before that, at 12 is when I started professional gaming. I still have the trophies around, in one of these boxes. But the winnings paid for part of my education."

"I guess the other part was your father. He won a Nobel Prize in medicine if I am not mistaken."

"No, I paid out my pocket as my father did and yes he won a Nobel Prize in Cerebral Nano-genetics."

"You are very competitive."

"Excuse me?!"

"The games you play, that is a lot of competition for a 12 years old girl."

"Oh, yes." John walks closer to the screen and says. "What game is that?"

"Call of Honor, the game of war. You are not here to play… you don't strike me as an avid player."

"Well, I did play online when I was younger and more in the academy with my roommate and we would spend hours."

"What is the name of your old roommate, maybe I came across him online?"

"Edward Straker Jr, his family is from Boston. Ed's father is a retired Air Force General."

"I never heard of him before. I most guess you guys played before the big merger."

"What merger?"

"You have not played in a long time. The two big companies merging creating the P-Box gaming system that was the only way they both could create the virtual reality games. They made trillions in international credits."

"Yes, I remember seen that on the news." John pauses looks slowly down, and the raises his head fast and with a determine expression goes to say. "Doctor I am here to tell you that you will not be part of the virtual expedition we are about to embark."

"Oh, really and why is that?"

"I want you to monitor the medical status of the players."

"Commander, how long it took you to train to be in the Mars One mission?"

"Years, but that is not the point…" "It is the point, Commander. I have been playing way before any of the other participants selected were born. I have the knowledge and skills you need to infiltrate the living computer."

"Doctor you will not go on that mission and that is final."

"So who is going to command the team, one of Gorki's people? I know who they are and I have played against them online. Brent, he gets his team killed for him to win. Do you want him leading?"

"Who is Brent?"

"Victor and Maya gave me their names already. Brent, Jessica and Maria, all three have their own teams and they do a piss poor job at it. I played against Brent in the digital Olympics in Berlin and I beat him. Granted, he is very good but his attitude will sink the team and all of us with him. Commander, this is no game. Every human life on this Moon depends on the success of this. You need the best player you have in and not out."

John thinks about it, takes a big breath and looks at the screen displaying the pause game then he says. "The Piranha, is that your name in the games?"

"Since I arrived to the Moon, I didn't want anyone to know who I was."

"Okay, you are in who will monitor the players?"

"Doctor Mathias."

"By what name you go by on Earth, I mean your gamer's name?" Helena smile and replies. "Doomsday girl349."

"Doomsday girl349, okay then…" John is interrupted by a small tremor. Both look about as a few of Helena's items fall to the deck and all stops. Then Paul calls through John's Comm-link. "Commander!"

"Yes, Paul?"

"The Alien ship just drop lower to the surface and its mass increased. We detected what it could be Gorski's weapon been fired."

"I am on my way." Then Helena's door signals that someone is on the other side wanting to see her. Helena moves to the door, and as she does, she says. "Must be Mathias calling." She opens the door to see a smiling Mentor. "Hello Doctor Russell, Commander."

John walks pass the surprise Helena, and he asks. "What just happen?"

"No fears Commander. We are ready to start the takeover of the living computer. I just took over the Dorcons ship, and they will interfere no more."

"Interfere! They have millions of ships even larger than the one you took over. They will interfere with vengeance appearing over our heads as they did before!"

"I am maintaining contact with the rest of their fleet with normal routine communications. From their point of view, their ship is still their ship. This is part of the plan."

"That part you neglected to tell us and now what?"

"We proceed and by the way. Your teams modifying the towers are done. You have full movement control of the Moon as I promise. Commander, you are free to go and leave me behind if you wish but I am counting on your word to help me."

"We can leave?"

"Yes Commander, you have that power now. You can leave, leaving me at the mercy of the Archanon council on my planet."

John thinks about it for a moment then he says. "We will help you." Helena gets close to John putting her hands softly on his shoulders to say. "John, we can leave. We don't have to take over the living computer."

He turns to Helena and without noticing he holds her hands inside his extending his fingers and in a soft voice he replies. "Helena, Mentor has helped us. Although he brought us against our will here, he has given us knowledge that will benefit humankind once we return to Earth. What kind of people we would be?"

"The ones that do not interfere with others people's business, John we can leave and leave now."

"Commander, Doctor, time is of the essence. The decision is yours, but it has to be made in less than 30 minutes. If I were a person that would impose my will over others, I would have taken my beloved daughter with me by force. All I am asking is for your help to help me help my people. They are stagnant in a time dilated life, and our enemies surround my home solar system. Please Commander, if not for my people or me then for the normal continuation of the cycle of rebirth of two universes."

John turns to Mentor releasing Helena's hands walking away from her that still has her hands raised. John stands in front of Mentor to say. "We will help you."

"Thank you, Commander. This is humankind at their best. I will see you soon." Then Mentor vanishes.

"John, are you sure?"

"Yes Helena and get ready, I want my best player online."

"Okay, is that is what you want."

.

Online.

.

John, Helena, and Doctor Mathias arrived at the room in the science department where the P-Boxes are linked. This time there are more people in the large room. Brent, Maria, and Jessica are setting up their game gear as Tony and Sargent Sanchez watch. However, Tony glances at his wife as she works next to Victor, but Maya ignores him.

Brent looks toward the arriving staff, and he says with surprise. "Helena, I'll be. Helena Russell, I have not seen you since the Olympics." All that know the Doctor stop to look at her with surprise, and she raises her hands to say with a smile. "He meant the digital Olympics."

All acknowledge her explanation and continue with their work. Tony manages to make eye contact with Maya, and she looks down as to keep her work. He smiles, and in his thoughts he says. "I got you." Maya knows what he is thinking, and that angers her, but she is not giving him the satisfaction to look again.

Brent walks up to John and Helena to say. "Commander Koenig, I never knew you had this ace under your black sleeve."

"We are full of surprises. Your boss should know."

"Speaking of surprises, I brought a sealed envelope with a message from him. Mr. Verdeschi has it." John looks at Tony, and he gets the envelope from a bio-container on one of the desks. "Here you go, sir. We checked it, and it is clean."

John opens the envelope and pulls a letter. "Why Gorski did not use the Comm-link?"

"I don't know." Brent answered John as he opens the envelope and pulls a letter. In the top part of the paper has written, put letter against a strong light. John is intrigued and raises the paper against the overhead lights. Helena stands next to him and asks. "What is it?"

"Is a printed letter but Gorski printed it without ink." John moves to a nearby desk seats in front and moves the desk light close to the paper and reads with some difficulty. "Wow." That is all John said, and Helena asks again. "What does it says?"

John thinks about his answers and says. "Specifications of the original G.P.S ground tower network, something I asked him about a long time ago. Victor, when do we start?"

"According to Mentor's timetable in 15 minutes."

"Well, let's get ready. I will be in the M.C.C monitoring your progress."

John walks out of the room and once alone he calls Paul. "Paul, have Sandra pull the old schematics of the original G.P.S tower network."

"Yes, sir."

"I am on my way to the M.C.C."

A few minutes later John walks into the M.C.C and for the first time he sees the helm station fully operational. He still finds it strange that now the Moon can be steered from Alpha's M.C.C. John walks up to Paul and asks. "Do you have the schematics?"

"Yes sir."

"Kano, have the computer link to the old G.P.S network and tell me what the computer finds."

"Yes sir."

"Sandra I want you to make arrangements with chief Zoref to increase the output of reactor 5 and route the power through the north power lines."

"Yes sir. But the power lines feed the northern power grid and all the structures in that area, are empty there is no one out there. "

"Follow my orders."

"Yes sir." Kano goes to say. "Sir, the network is active in standby mode." Then Paul asks more discreetly. "Sir, what are you expecting to happen?"

"I am hoping that nothing will happen." Then Carolyn says from the science station. "Sir we are in a line of sight of the planet."

"Now the game begins."

The six players are in their positions with their game gear on. Mentor is in the Room and he explains. "You will see a long road flanked by glass structures. The road will lead you to the central memory core. Along the way you will encounter A.I system guardians you will dispose of them. Your avatars will look as you have selected as the weapons, but the munitions of your weapons will be fragmentary command codes. Once you arrive at the central memory core place the explosives that will inject the new command codes and return. Understood?"

All nod their heads as a yes and Mentor signals Maya, and she says. "Commencing the download, now."

Instead of the customary view of game start prompt with a countdown from 10 to 0, the players see a tunnel of light where the end is a blue wall.

The players pass the blue veil and appear on a wide as long demolish road. Rubble and debris from the adjacent buildings cover the avenue.

Vehicles of all kinds, car, trucks, vans, buses and suburban family vehicles litter the avenue under the rubble. Then one of the Alpha's team members is hit by sniper fire and falls to the ground.

"Take cover over there!" Helena yelled, and the remaining five run into a demolished store. The sniper fire continues and the second team member of Alpha accompanying Helena is hit in the head.

Helena, Brent, Jessica, and Maria reach the safety of the structure. All wait and look toward the location they arrived into the virtual realm of the living computer. "Why aren't they re-spawning?" Maria asked, and Helena reaches for her earpiece. "Maya, why is that Daniels and Morgan, not res-spawning?"

"Helena, Doctor Mathias took them to the medical center. Daniels suffered a massive internal brain hemorrhage, and Morgan has a major cardiac failure. I have also problems with the system link. There is an extra signal joint to all of your signals. I am compensating."

"Okay Maya, keep us posted." Then Helena quickly looks at the avatar bodies of the two down men. Daniels' head has exploded by the sniper fire and Morgan was hit in the chest area.

She turns to Brent, Maria, and Jessica to say. "Daniels and Morgan are on their way to the medical center in Alpha. Whatever happens here to our avatars in here, it also happens to our real bodies out there."

Brent looks at the bodies and says. "This reminds me of an old movie classic, Digital Realm. It came out in 2079."

"I saw it too. The players died when their avatars died." Jessica said then Helena goes to say. "The sniper fire came from the tower at the end of the avenue. By what Mentor told us that out there is the road and these are the buildings flanking the road."

Maria goes to say. "This does not look even remotely to what he explained. He described Emerald City and this looks like… one of the games we play."

"This is definitely, Call of Honor but which game of the series?" Brent asked. Helena replies. "By the graphics and the avatars, this is the game of war."

"How do you know?"

"Brent, I have the game." Brent, Maria, and Jessica draw a blank face in surprise and Brent goes to ask. "How you got that game before Christmas?" Maria asks. "Can you burn a copy for me?"

Helena takes a big breath as she shakes her head in disbelieve of the detached aptitude of her companions for the wounded men. Helena stands walking carefully toward the door, and then she drags the avatar body of Morgan in. "What are you doing?"

"Grabbing his equipment, we will need it. Also, we will approach that tower through the buildings. I am sure this living computer is drawing its defense from our games. That is the only way it can't cope with us and our strategies."

"Okay, you lead." Helena is surprised by Brent's comment. She knows him for many years, and he never backs down from trying to take control of a game team for him to win. Helena goes to say. "This is going to be a building to building battle, and we do not even know what defenses are waiting for us at the tower."

In Alpha's reactor five building, Alice Zoref the chief engineer is talking to Sandra over the link. "Sandra, why is that the Commander wants to increase the output energy of this reactor and have it in standby."

"I don't know, but he will order when to upload power to the northern grid."

"The structures that received power from the northern grid are vacant."

"Do you know anything with regards to the old G.P.S tower network and energizing the northern power grid?"

"Um? For what I remember the main G.P.S station is part of the northern grid and the reactors that provided power to the network where removed after been decommissioned. There is no landline power connection between the main G.P.S station and reactor 5."

"Maybe someone did the connection?"

"Not us, I never send a crew to make such a connection."

Meanwhile, in Commander Koenig's office, John is talking to Dr. Mathias over the Comm-link. "What are their conditions?"

"We stabilized Morgan, but his metabolic system is maintained by life support equipment. Dr. Nuñez is still in the O.R with Davis repairing his brain with surgical Nano-bots."

"Keep me posted."

"Yes sir." Another call comes and his Paul with an urgent tone he says. "Sir you better come to the main floor."

"What is it?"

"Mentor is here and he activated the lunar helm station."

"I'll be there." John stands and instead of rushing he takes his time with a calm pace. He opens the door of his office to see Mentor standing in front of the helm station.

John walks to him and he signals the two guards to stand back. All notice the calm demeanor of the Commander and John stands next to Mentor with his arms cross looking forward and John asks. "What is going on?"

"I will move the Moon closer to Psychon."

"That will change the slingshot trajectory of the Moon to leave this solar system."

"Commander, you have total control of the Moon's movements. You can be in a stationary orbit near Psychon and still jump into F.T.L."

"Um, jumping into F.T.L, that sounds catchy. But why we have to… jump?"

"I want no dilation of time between the players signal and the living computer."

"Saving, Tachyons?"

"Excuse me, Commander?" Then John turns to Mentor and says. "Maya told us that the time difference between the players' boxes signal and the living computer was to be compensated by you using Tachyons. I guess with all you have done in the past 72 hours you must be low in your reserves."

"Well, yes and no. I am trying to conserve energy."

"I see. Well, I guess we can't stop you so… allow me." John seats on the helm station and continues with the activation of the new F.T.L system. Mentor stands to the side and John goes to say. "Paul, secure the base for the F.T.L jump."

"Yes sir." Paul turns to his station and activates the speaker system of the base. "All personnel, secure all stations and equipment for a faster than light speed. All stations lower your emissions to 4 points. All flights land where you are at."

Sandra is receiving messages from the different departments and sections as Kano prepares the computerized systems. Carolyn goes to say. "All first stage accelerators are at 100%, and the main equatorial accelerator is primed and ready to go."

John asks. "Carolyn, what about the gravity towers?"

"All towers are ready to receive." Then Sandra says. "Commander, all sections report a ready status." Then Kano gives his report. "Commander, the computer is synchronized with the E-Collider computer. The main computer is requesting the rest of the transit coordinates."

John notices something strange with the half way inputted coordinates of Mentor. John looks at the present coordinates display on the helm station the first six numbers are identical and he asks him. "It looks like you were entering the present coordinates of the Moon?"

"Yes, I will move the Moon."

"I see. Activating the E-Collider and leave it on idle, all it will do is to extract Tachyons without moving the Moon."

"Yes, so I can absorb energy to move the Moon. All I want is to help." John pulls a piece of paper from his pocket and reads it as he inputs new coordinates. Mentor eyes open wide and then he bends closer to John to say. "If you leave the solar system, you will lose her."

John stops but it keeps looking into the control panel, thinking on what he is planning on doing. Mentor smiles and passes his right hand over the coordinate control board, and Mentor's numbers appear. Then he says. "That is better, Commander."

John backs into the seat and without turning around to face Mentor he says. "Sandra, tell Chief Zoref to proceed."

"Yes sir."

"What did you say, Commander?" Mentor asked and John replies. "You are as deaf as a doorknob."

"What?" John smiles and then he turns to Mentor. "I said, goodbye."

Then the lights dim in the M.C.C for a moment, and Mentor's image commences to fade with static. His voice is garble until he vanishes. John resets the coordinates for the F.T.L jump and goes to say. "Paul, call Doctor Bergman and tell him that we are going for plan B!"

"Yes sir." John inputs all his numbers and lifts the plastic cover protecting the F.T.L button actuator. "Paul, what is the status of Dr. Bergman!?"

"Sir, he says, all clear!"

In the reactor number 5 area, Alice Zoref is overseen the operation of the reactor working at maximum capacity. One of her techs next to her goes to say. "Chief, the reactor is dropping power."

"What!" She runs to the station and verifies in the monitor the rapid drop in power. "Engage reactors 4 and 3!"

"Chief we are losing power." With that said Alpha goes dark.

In the M.C.C Mentor reappears next to John and Mentor pushes John from the chair several feet and he says. "Commander, you think I am stupid. I am a superior being to all of you! I am going to feed your minds into the living computer."

"So you were using us. You gave us the plans to modify the E-Collider for you to gain more energy to take control of the planet!"

"Just one planet!? I planned to take the whole universal continuum, stopping the cycle of creation. I knew that returning back would deplete my energy reserves. I need the E-Collider to run for a year. Now I am in control of a Dorcons warship and with its weapons I can deter any attempt from any human to interfere with my feeding. I will then create my own kind!"

"To create sentient programs like you, you were never alive. What you want to create is lifeless beings like yourself!"

"I will be a god and…" Once more Mentor commences fading in static as the power in Alpha returns. John stands up and runs to the helm station, and he sees that the E-Collider system is still running ready for an F.T.L jump.

John pushes the actuator, and all the 857 first stage accelerators inject their full force into the main Equatorial accelerator. The gravity towers glow in an intense blue halo around them at 350 miles above the Moon the same blue halo encompasses the Moon but in a whirlpool motion, and then the Moon vanishes. Mentor's sphere is left by itself, but instead of approaching the planet it moves away from it at high speed.

All in the M.C.C feel the motion of the Moon slightly. John turns to Paul and asks. "Tranquility base reactivated the G.P.S network or that was Zoref?" Paul looks at his screens, and his facial expression is at awe. Then he says in a surprised tone. "Sir, the power did not come from Tranquility or us."

"From where?"

"It came from the Mare Imbrium… the Dalotek Corp base. But it should be empty after the Exodus protocol?" John's eyes open wide, and he says in a low tone. "I guess they don't fall under the I.L.O charter." Sandra hears him, and she asks. "Who are they, sir?"

"Oh, no one… I guess Gorski save the day. Who else could have been?"

.

Consequences.

.

Meanwhile, in the Dorcons fleet flagship, Admiral Varda and Malik look intently at what just happen from the C.I.C of the ship.

"Varda, what just happen?"

"The humans abandon Mentor. I guess they figure out his intentions. Poor loser, he is headed this way for us to leak his wounds."

"So the reports from the First centurion Kovar were accurate. This… human species is clever and can defeat a superior force."

"Mentor is no superior force. He was going to do us a favor by taking over Psychon but he under estimated us and for the humans he thought he was handling children. However, we will obtain soon new information on how to defeat the Psychon defenses."

"Admiral, what new information we are to receive?"

"The one Mentor keeps secret from us, his force field. Now that he does not have the humans to play with, he has to deal directly with us now. If he wants to rule Psychon, as he thinks we will allow him to, he has to give us his secret."

"We win regardless."

"Yes, and Psychon is finally ours."

"Long live the all-powerful Dorcon Empire."

"Malik, be careful in your joy. If Mentor failed that means that Ma'ayan is free." Malik demeanor changes rapidly form elate joy into dread and goes to say. "If she is free where is she? Our fleet is still intact."

"We need to find out where is she at and capture her."

In a large crystalline room in the Psychon capital city of Piri, the great Archanon ruling council met to deliberate in their situation. No one has called a full session since Mentor was cast out from Psychon. This time the topic at hand is to once more prepare for war. The Psychons have not found the need in millions of years to be disengaged from their ethereal alternate state of being but once more they have to. The Dorcons with the help of Mentor are coming.

"High elder, this situation is grave. We have not, in millions of years become corporeal and way less to engage in war. Mentor and his accomplices are of the kinds that are as low as any vermin."

"Senator, to which accomplices are you referring to?"

"Both the Dorcons and the entropic beings on the rogue planetoid, they leave us with no alternative but to engage in mortal conflict." Another senator says. "Not to mention that we will not continue to enjoy the ethereal and the time nullifier. If we disengage nullifier or any of us leaves the planet will lose all knowledge. How can we combat the enemy?"

The high elder replies. "We will construct sentient codes and place them in automated battleships for us to retake our lost territories and beyond. We have to eradicate the Dorcons from existence."

"Our factories once more are building such vessels but can we risk another Mentor among those new sentient codes. Many lost their lives to contain Mentor."

"Yes, we know, and we all remember the sacrifice of Ma'ayan. The greatest scientist and military leader we ever had. I wish she could be among us to lead this military effort."

Another senator speaks. "High elder, according to the reports of our visionaries, Ma'ayan was on that rouge planetoid among the entropic beings. She is alive but different." The high elder enters in a deep state of thought and then he says. "We need to find her, she is already outside and she can lead our forces, overseen the sentient codes in the automated battleships. This war could end rapidly with her in command."

"Ma'ayan, as you stated, is outside. Would she remember who she is?"

.

Old friends.

.

Two weeks have passed since the Moon reappeared in an unknown part of the Universe away from the ensuing stellar conflict. Victor has verified that they are back in their original Universe and John has ordered that the Moon should travel between galaxies through the void. Avoiding obstacles created by stellar bodies contained in each galaxy they pass by.

The Moon is at her cruising speed of 50% the speed of light and normal operations have resumed. John is holding a department's head meeting, and they report that all conditions are normal.

The only situation is the gathering and process of Helium-3 to feed the E-Collider now been the new propulsion and maneuvering engine of the Moon. The dozers collect the raw materials, and the refineries process the tonnage needed to maintain the Moon moving. After the meeting is over, Victor and Helena stay. Victor asks Helena. "You feel better?"

"The abrupt pull from the P-Box is never recommended even during normal use. Dr. Mathias cleared me for duty the next day."

John smiles and says. "I heard that Doctors are the worst patients, is that true?"

"You can ask Mathias. I am still somewhat lost about how Gorski knew to use the old G.P.S network to block Mentor, also why he wrote the letter with no ink?" Victor answers. "Apparently, Mentor gave away that he was dependent on the use of electromagnetic radio waves. Gorski figured that Mentor was no more than an energy source and he could be blocked."

"Because he could not hear us?"

"That was the symptom of his condition of who he was. He most probably was reading lips or observing the movement of air as people spoke."

"Yes, Helena. That is why Mentor could know if someone was talking when they were not facing him by air exhalation from the mouth. He could only know things by observing the movement of the electromagnetic field or lip reading. Any device that was active in a transmission he could hear perfectly through it. That is why I think Gorski wrote the latter the way he did. Ink has its own characteristic electromagnetism if printed. If Mentor would have seen the letter all he would have seen was a blank paper."

"A sentient program that its only connection with reality was through the invisible electromagnetic spectrum and with all that power he was that evil, I did believe him." Helena said.

Victor smiles shaking his head and he replies. "Not an electromagnetic creature as we think. Perhaps his projected persona was but he was all along trap in his prison as a program. He did convert the victims of Gorski's weapons in his eyes and ears not knowing yet how to utilize our electronic technology."

"Then why make that pilot from the space liner tell Alan that he needed to return by moving the Moon?"

John answers. "Mentor perhaps did not have yet full command of the human mind, or he could not control it completely. Maybe it was something altogether different that made that pilot speak while under Mentor's control. At the end, he resorted in contacting us the way he did once he knew how." Victor asks John. "How you knew that Mentor was the villain in all this?"

"Through Gorski's letter but I was not all convince by Gorski until I saw the coordinates Mentor was entering in the helm control. Maya said that Mentor needed the E-Collider to run with no interruptions for a year. Keeping the Moon in place for that long while the E-Collider was active he could build his reserves and us becoming his slaves to maintain the Collider fuelled and working. That is why he took over that Dorcons ship to keep us in line and not for propulsion as Gorski told me in the letter."

"Propulsion? Mentor moved the Moon 13 billion light years into another Universe." Victor said and John replies. "That is what Gorski found strange, I guess you need one to know one."

Helena asks. "Then why Mentor sent us into the living computer if his plan was altogether different?" John leans back thinking and he answers. "He had a reason to do so. Maybe was to distract us or without us knowing it he link into the living computer using you and the other players as a diversion for the living computer. Maya reported an extra signal laced in your signal. But at the end, who really knows but Mentor?"

"But then, how Maya fits in all this? She still looks as he did or as a Psychon, in her case, a Psychon woman." Victor said, and John looks at Helena to ask. "By the way, how is my new science coordinator doing?"

"Maya is fine and Tony and she are getting along once more. For what Maya told me, Tony was afraid that Mentor would take her and he was in a lot of pressure because of that. That is why he was acting the way he did, not against Maya but toward Ma'ayan."

"That is something I will never understand. How Ma'ayan attached herself to Maya as a symbiotic creature." Victor said and all think about it. Then Helena stands and she says. "We might never know. Well, gentlemen, I have to go to sleep." Both Victor and John stand but Victor commences to follow Helena. "I am going to sleep as well. Good night John."

"Good night John."

"Good night to both."

John accompanies them to the door and once his visitors are out he closes it. John goes and seats behind his desk to catch up with some reports when the Comm-link buzzes. "Yes Paul?"

"Hello, old friend. How have you been?"

John hears a different voice from that of Paul but is a familiar voice. John turns the monitor on and his face transfigured into a surprised expression. Commander Koenig is speechless. "John, you look like you have seen a ghost."

"Ed?"

"The one and only. You have not changed since the Air Force Academy."

"You have been all this time up here?"

"Who do you think pump all that electricity into the northern power grid? Friends help friends."

"How you got into this secure line?"

"You know how we, the men in black work. You almost became one. This call is to let you know we are here."

"We, as in plural?"

"That is right, the only fully military operation on the Moon. After all, the I.L.O treaty doesn't apply to us because we don't use our weapons against humans. However, given our circumstances and Gorski I can make an exception."

"No that is okay. But I am sure the S.H.A.D.O mandate prohibits you from using force on humans."

"Yes that is what my Dad placed in the mandate, but I am concern about Dr. Roberts and her knowledge on the aliens we have been dealing with since the late twenty century."

"She is no threat to no one."

"If you said so, but changing the topic. You know that the aliens stop arriving at Earth since the late 2050's and my father as others think that they were planning something big. Now that the Earth is without a Moon, it must be in total disarray just open to a full-scale invasion."

"It did cross my mind."

"When are we returning, home?"

"We are working on that. We have an approximate fixed on our position, and we are headed back in that general direction. But according to Dr. Bergman, it is possible that several years have passed, maybe over 500 years… we don't know yet."

"Maybe more years once we arrive, well old friend we will talk in another time."

The Comm-link turns off, and John stares at the dark screen still in disbelieve. His old Academy roommate, the son of the founder of S.A.H.D.O and the C.E.O and owner of Dalotek Corp is on the Moon in a fully operational military base. John stands and walks to the window staring out deep in thought.

"I wonder if we have to survive space or each other on the Moon."


	3. Chapter 3

.

**Death's Other Dominion.**

.

The journey so far.

.

The Moon has been traveling the void among the galaxies for two and half years to evade unexpected encounters with stellar bodies or even extraterrestrial civilizations. However, in that term of time, the lunar dwellers emerged from an F.T.L jump in an errant solar system where the Moon was set in a collision course with a planet that its civilization needed the Moon to collide for them to attain a higher evolutionary level.

In another occasion, they encountered an enormous ship transporting the remains of an advanced civilization, and the hundreds of thousands of its inhabitants have turned into troglodytes except for an elite group that harvested body organs.

Then, they are captured by the gravity well of a black hole but they emerge intact utilizing the Tachyon propulsion system as a shield. Two weeks later a small ship carrying Aliens headed for Earth lands on the Moon, and they continue their journey not without telling Koenig the exact location of Earth.

A mysterious civilization from one of the many errant solar systems provides the Moon with an Earth atmosphere but the gift is withdrawn by the manipulations of Anton Gorski.

Two months later after. The Moon arrived, after a jump, near a free-floating living and sentient space creature that compressed one of the scout Eagles and if no for Koenig ordering to activate the shield around the Moon as they did before. The entire ex-natural satellite of Earth would have been compressed.

Months later they arrive at a planet that could be the birthplace of all humanoid forms, the Alphans give the planet the name of Arcadia, but the planet is guarded by a civilization of machines and artificial humanoids that are bent in the destruction of all biological sentient beings. John's old friend Edward Straker had to intervene directly with the full force of the military contingent of S.H.A.D.O joined by Alpha and Tranquility base military personnel so the lunar dwellers could escape.

After evading the machine empire, six months after that encounter all have been tranquil as Commander Koenig expected to be and trough the large radio telescope on the Moon. Dr. Bergman with the help of Maya both confirmed that the Moon is in a straight course with the Milky Way Galaxy as per the directions of the Kaldorians.

.

Baby steps.

.

All the preparations for the jump are ready in Alpha. The other two parties on the Moon, Edward Straker as Anton Gorski have once more prepared their people for the event. Victor and John are in the M.C.C overseen the preparations and as always, Alan Carter is at the helm station. Victor goes to say. "I have been formulating a hypothesis that would explain the lack of encounters with other civilizations as we approach our galaxy."

"Really, that sounds to me that you want to encounter more?"

"Well… yes, so far the Kaldorians are the ones that were more pleasant of the bunch we have encountered. I hope for us to encounter a civilization as theirs, friendly."

"Victor, they were friendly because they needed us. They were the last seven of their kind and by accident, we kill one. I am sure they needed us."

"Well, you have a point there."

"I do, so far every alien race we encounter needed something or for no reason wanted us dead, like the machines guarding Arcadia."

"Well, yes and no."

"Yes and no? I never saw them taking a vote. As soon as they saw us they took a shot."

"One of the artificial humanoids told me that they were created by human-like beings a long time ago and the machines were used as slave labor. I would be angry too."

John rolls his eyes as he smiles and asks. "What is your Hypothesis?"

"Oh yes, I think that the outer cluster of galaxies in our Universe holds the older more evolved civilizations and in our part of the Universe we are the young crowd learning on how to travel beyond the speed of light."

"You mean, civilizations type cero to one is what it is found in our Universal region but the farther out are the two and above."

"Exactly, the further out are the more… ethereal about to jump in the evolution scale. As for our artificial friends, they are a two or three type civilization but all have the technology of above the speed of light. Thus, making encounters with other civilizations more frequent in this parts of the Universe."

"I hope you are right because I don't want to encounter anyone else."

"I as well but some friends would not be bad." Then Paul interrupts the friendly conversation. "Commander, we are ready."

John turns to the science officer of the day shift and asks. "Maya, are we clear from any traffic or stellar bodies?"

"Yes sir."

"Small baby steps now." Victor said for only to John to hear and he replies. "The shorter the jump the more accurate and up to date the information is through the radio telescope. I don't want to jump in the middle of another errant solar system that was not there millions of years ago from where we are at."

Victor stays silent and John knows it is time and he turns to Alan. "Colonel Carter, jump."

"Yes sir."

Alan pushes the actuator and the signal is given to the main computer to execute the jump. Once again the halo of Tachyon covers the Moon and commences to spin.

The Moon vanishes and travels through the above speed light realm and emerges one hundred thousand light years further. Maya then goes to say as she looks into her screens. "Sir, we… I don't know how but…" "I see it, and I can't believe it." John said as he looks into the Holo-sphere projection. Then he asks Maya. "Are this the coordinates?"

"We deviated, 0.4 degrees in our trajectory." Victor goes to say. "I am sure there was a large unaccounted gravity well in our path."

"Ah, we never get a break." Then Paul says. "Commander I have a call from Mr. Straker on the green frequency."

"I don't want to hear him." John looks down slightly shaking his head and then he tells Paul. "Patch him through my Comm-link."

"Yes sir."

"John, what happened this time? I see another errant solar system in our path."

"My science team is looking into it."

"Okay, that is fine for the next jump that it will happen… when?"

"After refueling, and making a safety check on the E-Collider and the towers, as last time… 48 hours."

"Meanwhile we zoom by someone else's backyard."

"Hopefully no one is home or they can reach us."

"We all hope. Well, see you at dinner and I hope to see your lovely wife. Say hello to Helena from me."

"I will." John finishes the call and Paul goes to say. "Sir is Gorski in the red frequency."

"When it rains it pours. Pass him into my link."

"Yes sir."

"Yes Gorski?"

"Who is driving the Moon, a circus clown? We are headed into another solar system! We can't take more attacks from who knows what is out there."

"We will be out of here in two days."

"Two days you said that the last time and those mechanized bastards almost kill us. Come on, we had a good streak in the past six months. We are not explores, we are trying to get home."

"I will keep you posted."

"You better get that alien friend of yours…" "Bye Gorski… bye." John terminates the link and he looks at Maya as Victor looks into her station. "Okay, you two. Give me good news or bad ones?"

Maya replies. "There are no artificial electromagnetic signals and no indications of any traffic of ships." Victor adds. "John, so far we are in a clean solar system."

"We are not headed toward the sun and there are no major obstacles?" Maya replies. "None, we will enter the inner solar system in about three hours and out of this solar system in two days."

"Keep scanning, I want no surprises."

.

The howl to the Moon.

.

The third planet of the solar system is as lush as the Earth or even more. Rivers, lakes as all major oceans contain beautiful crystalline potable waters and the trees all give magnificent fruits. The temperature is always of a pleasant 76 degrees Fahrenheit year around due to the axis rotation of the planet. Anyone living here would consider been in paradise.

In a lush valley near a large river, there is a town that surrounds the large wreck of a ship that in part has been dismantled to build the dwellings around the ship. On its side it has written a name in large white faded letters, Phoenix and under the name it is written in smaller letters, International Lunar Organization cargo vehicle license 32176.

Jack is tending his fields with his wife Freda when suddenly, Jack stops working. He stands to look up into the sky covering his eyes with his right hand. He lets go of the rake and his wife turns to him to say. "Jack, what is it?"

"They are back."

"Who is back?"

Then Jack turns and commences to run as he howls moving his arms about. "They are back! They are back!" Freda tries to catch up with him but he is too fast for her. However, she knows where he is going.

A few minutes later Jack arrives at the most distant dwelling in the encampment. The abode is surrounded by antenna dishes and other electronic scanning instruments.

Jack runs into the home and yells. "They are here, Rowland they are back!" At the other side of the home, a dark beard man is encircled by scientific and computerized equipment. He is watching several screens but now he stands to confront his unexpected guest. "Jack, calm down."

"Calm down… calm down, but Rowland they are back."

"Who is back?"

"They."

"Bah, you make no sense. Seat there and wait for Freda and don't eat my plants."

As Rowland walks back to his work area he stops and slowly turns to Jack and he says. "Wait, I just detected a strong electromagnetic pulse at three AU's from the planet. A large object is passing through our solar system. Is that what you are mumbling about?"

"Yes, is them… they are back."

"WHO! For crying out loud! Who is back?"

Freda knocks on the door, Rowland smiles with relived and says. "Please, take him away. He is in one of his trips."

"Sorry Doctor Rowland. It just happened and he ran here. He said something about… they are back."

"Our Moon is back!"

"Jack honey, calm down. Rowland, please make sense of what he is saying."

Rowland takes a big breath moved by the young woman's pleaded for help and seats in front of Jack and he says. "Okay, I will admit. You have an un-quantified by science, sixth sense that now and then, when it makes sense I pay attention to. Now, slowly and in full control of your faculties tell me. What do you mean by they are here and is our Moon?"

"Alpha is back." Rowland rolls his eyes and slightly bends its torso back. He scratches his head and he says. "Jack, our Moon was traveling beyond the speed of light when we left and by now they must be at the other end of the Universe. That is a one-way ticket for them."

"They are back, it is them." Rowland looks at Freda and he says to her. "I just detected what it could be an errant moon passing through our solar system. Jack with his unexplained faculties felt or detected that moon."

Jack stands and in anger says. "Is not just any moon… it is the Earth's Moon!"

Freda takes hold to Jack's arm and Rowland stands seen his old friend agitated as never before. "Okay, okay Jack what you want me to do?"

"Call them, Rowland. Use the Exo-transmitter… wait, don't call them. Let them pass by or they will be coursed like us."

"Call them, not call them? You know I will use the transmitter to prove to you that is not our Moon and is not Alpha."

"I changed my mind… is not them. I am crazy, don't pay attention to me."

Already Rowland is at his work area turning on the transmitter and he says as he looks at Jack and Freda. "No, no… I will call. I want to leave no doubt that up there is just an empty errant moon."

Rowland powers the transmitter and he looks about on his nearby stack of old books. He finds a small blue plastic cover bind book and he shows it to Jack and asks. "This is your flight logbook?"

"Yes."

"All the correct codes, frequencies and call signs are in here."

"Yes… please don't call them or they will come."

"No one is coming!" Rowland said as he opens the manual and flips the plastic pages stopping on one. He reads it and then he sets the traffic control frequency of Alpha and he presses the microphone.

"Alpha control this is cargo ship 32176, the Phoenix. Do you copy in this frequency?" Rowland tilts his head toward Jack and he waits for a few seconds then he looks at his instruments and says. "At the distance that moon is, it will take 15 minutes one way and another some 15 minutes to get a response." Freda looks somewhat irritated at Jack and she says. "We still have to do the north field and you want to do this."

"Honey, is them but I told Rowland not to call." Rowland says. "Is okay Freda, I will help you and Jack with the harvest just let us do this for him. Let me try again. Alpha control this is cargo ship 32176, the Phoenix. Do you copy in this frequency?"

Thirty minutes go by Rowland looks at his sand clock and he puts the microphone down. "You see no one…" "This is Alpha traffic control, identified your code sign again."

Jack jumps toward the transmitter yelling. "Destroy that radio!" Rowland holds him down as both go to the floor Rowland yells. "Freda, talk to them, hurry!"

As Rowland and Jack struggle Freda gets a hold of the microphone and says almost crying. "Alpha control, we are the survivors of the cargo ship Phoenix! We are on the third planet of this solar system. Please help us!" Rowland as he struggles on the floor with Jack he goes to say. "It will take another thirty minutes before they answer."

But for Rowland and Freda's surprise, the controller answers with no delay. "Am I speaking with a crew of the Phoenix, the cargo ship commanded by the civilian Captain Jack Tanner?"

"Yes, yes… we survived! We are on the third planet. My name is Doctor Freda Stevenson from the Lunar Equatorial Accelerator Institute. There are survivors on the planet from the Phoenix!"

"Hold on Doctor. I will connect you to the M.C.C just one moment." Rowland says as Jack calms down. "How, can they talk and we to them with no distance time delay?"

"I don't know but he puts us on hold." Seconds go by and then a voice is heard again. "This is Commander John Koenig, senior director of Moon Base Alpha. Is this Doctor Stevenson?"

Freda, Rowland and Jack are surprised and then Freda answers. "Yes, I am Doctor Stevenson." Rowland is now seating on the sofa and stands after jack stop been combative and he says. "Freda, let me talk to him."

"Should Koenig be dead by now?" Freda said with a surprised look on her face. "Give me that microphone, seat on the sofa and keep an eye on your husband."

Rowland takes the microphone close to his mouth clears his throat and says. "Hello, Alpha. I am Doctor Cabot Rowland from the Lunar Equatorial Accelerator Institute. This is as much as a surprise to us as for you. You said, Commander Koenig, the first man to walk on Mars?"

"That is me. As we speak, I ordered an Eagle to be prep to meet you and to coordinate a rescue we…" "STAY AWAY! Commander, do not come here or Ultima Thule will curse you!"

"Freda, take him away… take him away."

"I am sorry Doctor. I did not catch your last transmission?"

"I am sorry Commander. One of our… citizens is… very moved by your arrival." Rowland looks at his screens and says. "It will be at least one day when your Eagles can be in range of the planet."

"We can depart now and be on your planet in under an hour."

"Wow, I am surprised of that even on how we can speak with no delay."

"We have made some advances in Exo-communications using Tachyons. Is there any way you can signal your location for us to find you?"

"I will keep this frequency open for your ship to find us."

"Very well, will be there soon."

Rowland puts the microphone under a heavy book to keep the talk bottom sending a signal. Then he turns to Freda that already has calmed down Jack and Rowland says in a low voice. "Let's talk outside. The microphone is open."

The three walk out and Freda says. "I thought you said that at least, one thousand years have passed."

"I know I did. My calculations have to be wrong then. Koenig is up there alive and well. But how they turn the Moon around?"

"Are you going to tell them everything?"

"Not everything."

.

The rescuers need rescue.

.

In landing pad one's underground hangar. Eagle One is hoisted as the modular pod is moved under it. Then slowly the Eagle is lowered. John, Victor and Helena are in the flight hangar deck seen the Eagle been ready. "They survived and found a habitable planet." Helena said and Victor replies. "The reading from the probe shows an Earth-like planet but without land animals. Ocean creatures have not been detected as of yet."

"They have been down there for two and half years. But, isn't there a time passage differential relativistic to them, us and the rest of the Universe? They should be dead and we should be talking to their descendants?" Helena said.

John goes on to say intrigued on that time relativistic differential. "We are expecting to arrive to Earth at least 500 years after we left. Down in their planet, the same time should have passed as well. We are the ones traveling pass the speed of light and not them."

Victor replies. "Maybe there is a foreseen effect from the Tachyon propulsion method that we use. According to Einstein and Doctor Roberts in her equation, anyone traveling beyond the speed of light it is also traveling back in time. Maybe that backward time travel compensates in the time differential relative to Earth, us and even with the rest of the Universe."

"Victor, you are saying that we could arrive to Earth 500 years before we left?"

"Yes, John that could be the case. So from now on, we jump we have to account for a reversal of time. If all this is true we could arrive a few days after we left."

Alan walks up to the three and he says. "All is ready, Commander. Doctor Roberts, the Major and Dan Mateo, are onboard. After we radio an accurate headcount of survivors to the M.C.C, Fraser will reach the planet with whatever amount of Eagles we need. Hopefully, by then the Moon will be closer to the planet. "

"Good, let's go then."

The group boards the Eagle, and as the space vehicle is moved to the landing pad, Alan and John do the pre-flights checks in the cockpit as the rest accommodate themselves in the back.

Must of the equipment they are taking is medical as scientific not of the usual food and water, given to the fact that the Phoenix survivors have their provisions. Victor with the help of the botanist, Dan Mateo are hoping to check out for fertile soil to bring to Alpha and grow eatable plants already in Alpha and or to bring fruit trees from the planet.

The Eagle is placed on the elevator and raised to the pad. "Alpha traffic control, this is Eagle One ready for takeoff."

"Eagle One, you are clear for departure."

"Traffic control, Eagle one is taking off."

Since the encounter with Mentor, the Alphans have modified or built new Eagles capable of reaching 75% the speed of light. Once the Eagle is outside the protective layer around the Moon. Alan and John prep the ship's Tachyon drive. "All ready?"

"Yes sir. I still can't get accustomed to traveling so fast."

"It is part of the job. Activate the drive."

"Activated." John accelerates and the Moon is left behind. "We are at cruising speed, time of arrival in… 45 minutes." Alan said and John expression is of concern and Alan notices and asks. "John, what is wrong?"

"I told Doctor Rowland that we would be at the planet in under an hour."

"Well, 45 minutes is under an hour."

"Yes, but since I talk to him, the Eagle got loaded the crew selected and adding the 45 minutes it will be close to an hour and half."

"So?"

"I hope he does not take it as me bragging on how fast our Eagles are."

"I am sure not."

In the back, Victor, Maya and Mateo are reviewing the scans from the probe placed in orbit. "I see no indigenous animals on the planet. Except for the survivors, there are any animals. It is just a large garden." Mateo said, and Maya adds. "I have double check the oceans and nothing."

"But there is an abundant mass of fruit trees that covers the land masses. It is as if every tree is a fruit tree." Victor said. Then Helena says. "If we had no control over the Moon, we might be looking to stay."

"Helena, the average temperature is of 78.5 degrees. It is a bit colder in the poles but not a drop of snow anywhere."

"Good thing I did not bring my snow skies." Tony said as he tries to sleep. Then Maya says. "We can take a walk on a nice beach." Tony seats up and says with a big smile. "Now, that I am all for."

"You don't want to rescue these people?" John said as he walks in to take coffee. Tony replies. "Why these people would cause any trouble for me to be here. I came, well… you order me but I came to be with my wife in our first mission together."

"Easy mission, find out how many they are and pick them up."

Helena goes to say. "Wait John, we have to make sure they don't bring a pathogen that they might have got accustomed to."

"They beat their version of the common cold on the planet why not us in Alpha?"

"The remedy might be something that is on the planet. Once we leave this solar system, who will come back to get it?"

"That is why, I asked you to come."

"No walk on the beach?"

"I am sure there will be time for leisure."

"There better be, Commander."

"Okay, okay, Doctor we will have our walk on the beach."

Without them noticing it, they became more relaxed as they approached the planet. Seen the pictures from the probe of unbroken sandy beaches, fruit trees everywhere and no animals potentially been predators for an absentminded human all this would make anyone want to stay. The minutes pass and they are in the final approach.

"Doctor Rowland, this is Commander Koenig in Eagle One. We are approaching your position. We will do a fly-by over your camp in 5 minutes and land in a clearing between your camp and the river."

"Yes Commander, I copy your transmission. We are waiting."

The Eagle flies over the camp and makes one circle and then heads for the clearing then landing. "Alan, stay in the Eagle."

"Ah, come on John. At least, let me be near the Eagle."

"Okay, near the Eagle. I now have to play ambassador and rescuer."

"You know, why they would want to go with us to a gray, dark rock like ours."

"Um? You are right. Maybe there will be some that might want to stay, will see."

John and Alan walk to the pod and all are line up by the door. "Victor, how is the environment out there?"

"John, background bio, chemical, and radiation are lower than on Earth."

"Nuclear test above ground here and there during the twenty-century Tac-nukes use in the Euro-war. Chernobyl, Fukushima, Point Beach two, that will make the Earth looked like a dump compared to here." Mateo said and all look at him silently well knowing he is right. Then Helena says to John. "Why don't we park the Moon in orbit and stay here?"

"The rescuers need rescue. Um, will see. Tony, open the door."

"Yes sir."

John is the first to step out followed by Helena and Tony. Then Victor, Maya and Mateo come down and they spread not that far from the gangplank taking readings with their portable scanners. Maya gets close to her husband, looks at him and says. "Why you brought that?"

"To protect you from the natives, they may want to kidnap you."

"Well, this place did."

"What about a little house by the beach. Raise a family… I surf you cook."

"Oh, really. Why not I surf and you cook."

"Will swap days."

Then she holds his arm and puts her chin on Tony's shoulder and Maya asks with a pleasant smile. "Raise a family?"

"Why not, we been talking about this."

Then out of the tree line, a large group of people comes out wearing strange web garments as if made from a plant. Pants, shirts, long one-piece dresses for the woman, some men and women in shorts. Leading the welcoming is a smiling Doctor Rowland.

"Welcome to Ultima Thule!" John moves forward to shake his hand but Rowland hugs him. "Welcome Commander."

"We are glad to see you too. It has been a while. You guys survived here for the past two and half years?"

Rowland looks at John still smiling but silent as he now has his arms extended with his hands on John's shoulders. "Yes, two and half years. Although in my calculations I was somewhat off." Helena steps forward to say. "It is May the seventh, 2101."

"Wow, it is not more 2099. That is awesome!" Then Victor approaches Rowland. "Doctor, what year you calculated?"

"Doctor Bergman! It is great to see a colleague in the arts of science." Then Rowland hugs Victor the same way he hugged John and then Rowland turns toward his fellow survivors still looking from the tree line and he says. "Come, come… let's welcome them!"

The two sides mingle in handshakes, hugs and smiles. Then from out of the crowd, Maya approaches Rowland.

"Cabot."

Rowland turns around to see Maya and his smile vanishes slowly as trying to figure out who the young woman is. "Ah…ah, excuse me but…" "Is me, Maya Roberts."

"Maya? I did recognize your voice but what happened. The last thing I knew you were attacked in your office and Medevac to Alpha?"

"It is a long story, I will tell you soon. All the techs from the institute survived?" Then Rowland smiles and says. "All of them, even your two thorns on your side."

"Mike and Steve?"

"The ones."

"I am happy for all of you." Then Maya hugs the robust scientist shedding some tears. "Come, come my child. Let me show around the town."

"Oh, this is my husband. Tony Verdeschi."

"Ah, yes the top cop in Alpha. I am so happy to see you two young ones together."

"Thank you. How do you do sir?"

"I am doing great! Today I am doing great!" John walks to Rowland making his way through the people. "Doctor, Doctor Rowland."

"Yes Commander?"

"When your people will be ready to leave?"

"How long the Moon will be in range?"

"Two days."

"Then, let's go eat. We can talk over dinner." John smiles and he is unable to refuse the joyful scientist. "Okay, will talk over dinner."

John turns toward Alan that is talking with one of the young ladies of the survivors. "Alan, stay around the ship!"

Alan discreetly points at the lady he is conversing with and he says. "She just invited me to dinner at her house."

"Stay with the Eagle."

"Okay."

.

The festivity.

.

There is a grand gathering, and a long table is placed that the survivors use as an assembly place. The new arrivals are already seating behind the grand table surrounded by the buildings in the center of the small town.

Parts of the dwellings are made of sections of the down ship as with logs and rocks. In the middle of all is the Phoenix, its nose is buried on the ground and its engines pointing upward. The whole ship is in a 45-degree angle and behind it on the soil, the almost undistinguishable trench carved by the landing of ship. The entire ship is cover by a thick, lush interweaving vine with large leaves and brilliant red flowers.

On the table, there is a spread of wood plates filled with all kinds of fruits, vegetables and prepare roots as cook dinners made of greeneries. "This would be a vegetarians dream." John said to Rowland that is at the head of the table. "Oh yes, we had to make many dietary changes the first months after our survival rations were all consumed. But look at me, Dr. Roberts can tell you I lost weight."

The survivors are displaying a festive attitude by dancing and playing wind as percussion handmade musical instruments. The festivities look has a Hawaiian lu'au. The noise is great by people dancing and conversing.

Maya is surrounded by her colleagues that she led during her tenure as the director of the E-Collider project and she introduces Tony to all of them. One of them approaches her from the side and says. "Doctor Roberts?"

"Mary!" Maya hugs her and then she says. "I am so happy to see you! Where is your husband?"

Mary's smile vanishes and turns quickly to see two men but Tony and Maya catch Mary's quick movement. Maya does not recognize the men and Mary's smile returns. "He is around. How are you?"

"I am doing well. I am the science officer in Alpha for the M.C.C."

"I am so happy for you and to see you both together." Maya looks at Tony and he replies to Mary. "I am happy too. Who are those men? I don't remember them working in the E-Collider." Mary turns to Maya and she asks. "But you look like that woman that attacked us in your office."

"You know, I sound like a broken record but it is a long story and complicated at that. Once in Alpha, I will tell you over a cup of coffee."

"Oh, Alpha. Excuse me I have to get ready some food I brought. I will see you around."

"Yes we will." As Mary walks away, Tony looks about and do not see the two men and he says. "If I remember, the Phoenix had some miners as well when they left."

Meanwhile, at the table, Helena turns to her host and asks. "Where are the children, Doctor Rowland?"

"Ah, that… we have held back on that as a community, of course, no one it is forced but in an alien environment and lack of proper medical equipment. We wanted to wait, to asses any risks. I am sure you understand. How about up there? You guys have all that equipment and empty structures full of resources and a known hospitable environment."

"So far we have 76 new healthy born in Alpha. We have, as you said plenty of resources and we have tapped into a new energy source for us."

"A new form of Helium-3?"

Then John answers. "We have that in plentiful amounts. We are using Tachyon energy to supply us with amply and also we can steer and propel the Moon at will."

"Really, you have to tell."

At the edge of tree line, Victor and Mateo are scanning the surrounding soil and foliage. They notice that the fruit trees are more inward away from the tree line. "Doctor, we need to collect fruit samples."

"There are plenty on the table."

"Yes, but those are prepared we…" "Excuse me, gentlemen." Mateo and Victor turn to see the two men Tony and Maya saw approaching them. "Yes sir, how can we help you?" Victor said.

"It is more that I will help you."

"In which way?"

"Lucky for you both we saw you trying to go in. There are some trees and we exactly don't know which that during the night they expel a gas that makes people sick. We are accustomed to the gas but for you two it will be painful."

Mateo replies. "I see, like Banana trees, they take oxygen and expel carbon monoxide. The way they are planted is far apart in plantations for the wind to dissipate the gas."

"Yes sir, even a small amount can be painful. During the day we can show you around. Also you don't want to get lost."

Victor is looking at his scanner and says. "I don't detect any foreign gas."

"Believe us it is there and will be stronger as the night progress. Just come and enjoy the party, we can show tomorrow when is safe." Victor looks at the festive people and he looks at Mateo and says. "Yes, we can continue tomorrow."

"If you said so."

Back at the table Maya and Tony have joined John and Helena next to Rowland. All four have told him in detail all that has happened to them on the Moon. "I can believe it, Commander Gorski started all this and this Mentor person is the one that took all of us. Wow, unbelievable." Rowland turns to Maya. "This other persona is attached to you?"

"Yes, and we have a symbiotic relationship, she is more like a lost recollection. Her memories are not focused for me to discern clearly. Apparently, she was a scientist that is clear to me but there are other images that convey that she also was a military leader but one thing is for sure, she was or is the daughter of a scientist named Mentor but not the one we encounter." Helena is surprised at this last revelation and asks. "When you became aware that there could be two different Mentors?"

"In our last jump, it is like on every F.T.L jump something is dislodged from her to me as a memory." Tony goes to say. "She told me of this. One time Maya told me seen Ma'ayan in hand to hand combat against Dorcons soldiers with just a shield and a sword."

"Dorcons, those are the bad guys?" Rowland asked and John replies. "Them and some others that we have encountered, our last chance meeting was with a machine empire and we almost don't make it."

"Really and we thought we had it bad here. So, by your navigational calculations, you estimate arriving at Earth in one year or so?"

"That is our calculations and by finding you we thought we were arriving to our solar system around 500 to 1,000 years after our departure. But you agreed that two and half years have passed here as on the Moon. So, we in Alpha miscalculated."

"Actually Commander, we thought more had passed but I agreed with you having better time keeping instrumentation and Alpha's bio-computer. I am alive talking to you."

"Yes you are. So we can't be that off. How much you calculated?"

"Five years have passed. This planet has 378 days in the year and a 23.2 hours smack in the middle of a life zone and its axis is in the perfect angle to have the climate we have year around. There is a small winter period when the planet is farther from the sun and almost no humidity."

Tony asks by something he is noticing. "Doctor Rowland, how you keep the bugs away, is there something in the torches or the bonfires you guys put in?"

"We have no insects, no animals of any kind, not even fish."

"Wow, this is paradise. Well, I would like a pork chop every now and then."

"I don't remember seen animals on the Moon, or you have them?" Then John answers. "We do, we have pigs and fish from the I.L.O agricultural base as seeds. They were left behind after the Exodus protocol was enacted. We re-purpose one of the urbanized bases as a farm, not far from Alpha."

"Incredible Commander." That is all Rowland said and then asks after his short silence. "Why go back to Earth?"

"Why? That is home."

"Yes, yes… it is our birthplace but why not just stop the Moon around Thule and of course without disrupting the axis of the planet and all of you can stay." Then suddenly, Rowland is overwhelmed by a headache and bends his torso slightly as he rubs his head. Helena goes on to ask. "Are you okay, Doctor?"

"My dear Doctor, this old man has his afflictions. I think I ate too many sweet green berries. If you excuse me I have a natural remedy at home." He stands and walks away. Tony looks around the table and says. "Um, green berries? I hope I did not eat those."

Maya slightly kicks Helena under the table, Helena smiles and says. "Maya, Tony can you both return to the Eagle and bring my small medical kit. It has Trionex for Doctor Rowland's headache." Then John says. "Check on Alan. I don't want him to be kidnaped by the young native he was conversing with."

Maya and Tony stand and Tony said. "Will do sir." As both are at a distance, John turns to Helena. "I thought she was kicking me. Is there a conspiracy going on among you two?"

"Yes there is one Commander. Let's go closer to see the band play."

The recently married couple walks up to the band to see Victor standing with a drink in his hand and John says. "This is a first."

"You have seen me drinking my Scotch."

"But not in a party."

"I had plenty of those in my days. Have you notice the drums."

"No."

"They don't use leather. It is some kind of bark. This place is a fountain of botanical wonders."

"Where is Mateo?"

"By the old ship, scanning the plants."

"That is why we brought him."

The night has engulfed the sky and a soothing breeze overtakes the valley. The lights and noises of the party are heard in the distance as Mateo scans the great vine that has overtaken the hull of the Phoenix. Few people have walked in the direction of the party walking by Mateo and he nods his head replying with a good evening to the passerby and he continues scanning.

He stops intrigued by the information he is obtaining through the scan. "This is not possible." He recalibrates the parameters of the scan and he is surprised by what he just found. "The corrosion of the hull it is more extensive, and there are D.N.A signatures..." Someone hits him on the back of the head, and Mateo falls unconscious to the ground.

Rowland arrives at his home, and he is in a lot of pain. Freda stands up from the sofa and he asks her. "Is he quiet?"

"Yes, he still asleep." Both look at a small cage and Jack is in it sleeping. "Why are you here early?" Freda asked.

"I have been summoned."

"What did you said?"

Then a sharp pulsating pain hits Rowland and he says. "Ahhh, I will be back."

He walks out through the back into his patio and he stands in front of a tree. "I am here." The tree's branches move and a voice is heard. "They must go and you with them. Our propagation and collection of specimens is essential."

"You mean Earth?"

"Yes, you and yours will propagate and collect."

"What about Jack?"

"He is part us and part of them with no side effects. He will stay for us to continue to learn more from him."

"They are oblivious to the truth of Thule."

"They almost found out, we took care of that, twice while you were with them celebrating."

"I will be more vigilant."

"You better, now go."

"Yes sir."

.

A walk under the stars.

.

Maya and Tony follow the wide trail that leads to the river and where Eagle One landed. The two are holding hands, walking in a slow pace. Then Tony goes to say. "We can get one of the big sleeping bags and camp out."

"Oh, wow… a big sleeping back."

"More room to play."

"I do want that, but we can't."

"Why?"

"We have to work."

"Then why hit everyone under the table?"

"I did not."

"Yes you did, I am sure you even hit the Commander before you hit Helena."

"Okay, I did. But there was no sleeping bag in my plans."

"But it was in my plans."

"Uuuu, your plan? You are too relax in your job."

"Maya, these people want to leave. None of them is a security risk." Tony gets closer and both kiss. Then both embrace each other and Maya says. "I want to start a family."

"Me too."

And both continue walking holding each other by their waists as Maya rests her head on his shoulder. They see the lights of the Eagle breaking the subtle calm darkness of the moonless night. Maya looks up as to ascertain her bearings in the sky and she says. "That bright star is Alpha."

"It does not look it is traveling that fast."

"It is all relative." They finally see the rear hull and engines of the Eagle as the floodlights of the craft push back the darkness. The lights penetrate the foliage and Maya says. "A fruit tree."

"Oh, honey. We had enough and I don't want a headache like Doctor Rowland."

"Just one, I promise I will scan it."

"Okay let's go." As they are about to enter the tree line, a light hits the couple from the direction of the Eagle. "Tony?"

"Alan?" The senior pilot cuts the handheld light and asks. "Where you guys are going? I just clean the toilet in the Eagle."

"Very funny. Maya wants to pick a fruit, give us a minute."

"Okay." Alan walks toward the front of the Eagle disappearing from view behind the foliage. "We are busted, go Maya get you're Orange. I will follow."

The two young ones walk with caution in the uneven terrain. Maya approaches the tree and picks one fruit and a low high pitch noise is heard from the tree. "You heard that. It sounded like a small scream." Tony said and Maya answers. "It could be the branch when I pulled released gas."

"Wait, this tree just passes gas. This is…" Tony could not complete his comment when the fruit tree bends rapidly covering them with its branches and so all the other trees nearby. A green mesh as a ball of joint branches covers them.

All the branches are pushed apart by a large pterodactyl emerging from the green confinement taking flight and holding Tony in its paws. Maya flies toward the Eagle when a large tree swats her and both hit the ground.

Alan hears the commotion and runs through the dirt road and stops where he saw Maya and Tony. "MAYA! TONY!"

Alan flashes the light set in a high-intensity beam and scans the area. "TONY! MAYA!" There is no response but he hears in the distance something moving like tree branches and the sound is gone. Alan turns off the light and says to himself. "They probably went back."

Rowland has left his house to join once more the festivities. Freda is outside looking at the new bright star in the sky. When she hears a loud noise in the house and she runs in to see Jack jumping out of the window. "Jack!" She runs outside but he is gone into the night.

.

The old Colonel.

.

Alan is in the Eagle's cockpit reporting to Paul as scheduled. "Man, I can hear the party from here." Alan said to a smiling Paul. "We could stop the Moon and take shore leave."

"My last shore leave was when those things gave the Moon an atmosphere, remember."

"Yes and Gorski had to mess all up. I don't see why the Commander puts up with him."

"When he was the Commander he was great. I guess that is how evil present itself, as a nice guy, eloquent, well-mannered but always looking on how to stab you." Then Alan hears someone hitting the hatch hard. "Paul, I will talk later. I think Tony and Maya are outside."

"Okay, Alpha out." The person continues to hit the door. "Hold on, hold on. There is a call button by the hatch you know. Um, I hope is the blond in shorts."

Alan turns on the entry camera and he says with surprise. "Colonel Tanner?" Alan opens the hatch and Jack runs in. "Close the door, close the door!" The Eagle pilot complies as Jack seats down and Alan asks to be sure. "Colonel Tanner, U.S Air Force?"

Jack madness dissipates hearing Alan and he calms down. "Yes, yes… Colonel Jack Tanner, U.S Air Force. Who are you?"

"Alan Carter, Australian Royal Air Force. We met in N.A.T.O headquarters just before the Euro-War. You and your flyboys flew joint operations with us from Greece."

"Yes, I remember… how do I remember? You were stationed in Cyprus with Koenig during the war."

"Yes, that is right. What is going on, why are you so agitated?"

"I am half dead and the rest are dead."

"Okayyy… Colonel, I guess you have been celebrating too much."

Jack stands up abruptly and yells as he points to the hatch. "They are all dead! We crash… no, no we broke apart in reentry… vented atmosphere. I had my suit on and I was low in fuel then we crash. Yes that is it, we crash."

Alan is looking at Jack sideways with his upper torso bent gently backward and he extends his arm pointing at the seat. "Colonel, please. Seat down. You want water?" Then Jack commences to cry. "I was driving a funeral car… oh, my… they all die."

Alan opens a channel in his Comm-link and says. "Commander, I have here in the Eagle a highly agitated Colonel Tanner. What do you want me to do?"

In the small town, John is standing next to Rowland and John replies. "Hold on." John turns to Rowland who has his hand covering his mouth and Rowland says. "I was afraid of this, Commander. I know you ask me about him and what I meant was that he was physically healthy but I neglected to tell you that since the crash he has not been the same."

"P.T.S.D?" Helena asked. "Yes, he has moments like this. Actually, in the past year, he has been under control. I guess your arrival has made him fall in one of his spells." John says. "I understand." And he calls Alan. "Alan, have Tony and Maya bring back Colonel Tanner."

"I thought they went back to town."

"They left already?"

"I saw them by the road. Maya wanted to pick fruits and that is the last time I saw them. They never made it to the Eagle."

Rowland quickly opens his eyes wide after hearing the conversation and regains his facial demeanor. "Commander, I will go and get Jack."

"Okay, but we are returning to the Eagle. We have to wake up early and start the preparations for your departure."

"Okay, as you wish." John opens a channel on his Comm-link. "Victor, Mateo, Tony, Maya. Met me by the table, we are returning to the Eagle."

"I am here John."

"Oh, Victor. But where is Mateo?

"He was by the old ship. I have not seen him since."

John calls again trough the Comm-link. "Mateo, Tony, Maya, reply."

This time John's tone was tense and none of the three respond. "Something happened." That is all John said as he looks around. Then again he calls. "If you can hear me, go to the Eagle. Victor, Helena and I we are headed that way."

"I will go with you to collect Jack and I hope this lack of communication with your people is not Jack's doing."

"He has been violent in the past?"

"Not to hurt people but he has flashbacks from the war. That is what is afflicting him."

John commences to walk and as he does he calls. "Alan."

"Yes sir."

"I had been told that the Colonel might become violent. You saw Maya and Tony a few minutes before Tanner arrived to the Eagle?"

"Yes sir."

"Mateo, Tony and Maya are not responding to my calls. I am returning with Doctor Russell and Victor, also Doctor Rowland to pick up Tanner."

"Understood, Eagle One out."

Alan grabs a water bottle and offers it to Jack. "Here you go sir."

"I can't drink that."

"Why not, it is water."

"It will burn me." Alan puts back in the rack by the hatch the bottle and seats facing Jack and Alan ask. "So… you have a wife here?"

"Yes, Freda. She is so kind to me I don't know how she puts up with me."

"How long you been married?"

"I lost count after our seventh hundred anniversaries." In a nonchalant tone Alan answers. "Wow, that long. You and your wife have any kids?"

"We can't have children, the dead can't."

"Well, I am sure there are more kids about. It is not that you are dead."

"There are no children in Thule. We are like them."

"Who are them, children?"

"The plants, the trees… we are them. We look human."

"You fool me and that blond… but what happen that you think all are dead. Am I dead too?"

"Not you but you will be."

"Colonel what happened to you? I remember you were as sharp as they come."

"The plants thought I was dead as the others were but I was not and I became half of them and half like you."

"The trees and the bushes, umm…they thought you were dead and they made you half human and half vegetable."

"Yes! You do understand."

"I really don't Colonel but how can you proved to me that what you are telling me is real?"

"Look in my ship, they still there."

"Who?"

"The dead."

.

Escape to the truth.

.

Mateo slowly wakes up and he still feels his head and neck throbbing in pain. As he seats on the metal floor he robs his neck in the point of impact. There is no light in his enclosure, all he knows is that the floor is tilted and the room is made of metal.

His back is against the wall and his legs extended upward due to the inclined floor. He finally stands and the best he can against gravity navigates the room. Mateo discerns that he is in a room approximately 20 feet long and 10 feet wide. He finds a hatch and holds on to it and yells for help but no one answers his call.

He once more moves about the room when at the end of the room he finds a loose pipe. Mateo grabs it and once more reaches the door hitting it with the metal pipe as he yells. No one responds.

Mateo feels a weak draft of wind and he follows it to its source. He finds a vent and by just touching it exams it. He hits the grill with the pipe and commences to open it between hits and wedging the pipe he finally manages to pull it. He can tell that the shaft can accommodate his body but with effort. Mateo drags his body in and slowly commences his escape.

Mateo slowly moves by the use of his feet and elbows. A worm has more room to move in its tunnel than Mateo in the metal shaft. After a while he reaches the end it is a T shape intersection, to his right the shaft continues to his left there is another vent. Mateo turns right the best he can and once line up he backs toward the vent.

He uses his legs as ramming device, over and over again until the old grill gives way and he moves backwards to freedom. He arrives into a long corridor that is as inclined as the room he was in before. He wants to go down and follows the downgrade angle. He commences to distinguished a dim light head coming through an open hatch. Mateo carefully enters the annex hallway and he can distinguish seats along the sides of the hallway covered by vines.

He continues to walk carefully when he sees that the light is coming from the outside through small portholes. His eyes gradually adjust to the light and he sees on the seats, human silhouettes all bend forward. For his horror, he realizes that he is in the passenger compartment of the Phoenix and the figures are human remains still strap to their seats.

The vines encircle the bodies as if they were all trapped in the constricted liana. Mateo gains his senses from the macabre scene. He once more moves down the passageway until reaching the forward section. In front of him is the cockpit or flight deck of the craft looking down he sees a circular stair leading to a lower deck. He goes down the stairs and halfway he sees more rows of seats with corpses all encompassed by vines.

Mateo goes up and walks toward the flight deck. He easily forces the door and sees an increase of light coming through the cockpit flight windows. He sees the body of the flight engineer as that of the co-pilot but the captain's chair is empty. He manages to see glass on the deck and notices that the window in front of the captain's station is broken. Mateo looks through it and sees the town around the craft.

The nose of the Phoenix is incrusted in the ground and he figures that he can climb out through the broken window and slide down the nose of the craft to the ground and run to the Eagle.

He manages to reach the window climbing over the controls and then slides down the nose hitting the ground hard. He regains his posture and runs through the town passing several people on his way. Mateo reaches the edge of the community and through the foliage he sees the river. All he has to do is to reach the river bank and head south. He runs again after discerning his next move for freedom, he enters the tree line and he can see the river.

A large branch grabs him lifting Mateo as he yells. Other branches from other trees take a hold of him lifting him above the ground and each tree passes Mateo to the next tree and to the next until he is taken out of the valley.

.

The truth is told to deaf ears.

.

In the opposite direction from where Mateo was taken. John, Helena and Victor with Rowland as Freda arrive to the Eagle. Alan is reclining with his arms cross on the open hatch frame of the Eagle looking in. Then he turns his head to say. "About time."

John asks. "Where is he?"

"In here." Then Rowland says. "Will take him off your hands, I am sorry this happen." But Jack hears Rowland and he runs to the hatch to look and then looks at Alan. "Traitor." Jack runs into the Eagle.

Alan stands fully erected looking at Jack and says. "Hey, hey! Colonel, stop that!" Alan runs chasing Jack. The incoming group increases their pace and enters the Eagle.

They see Alan dragging by one leg the old Colonel through the deck. "He went after the weapons locker."

"No, no… Alan, tell Koenig. They are all dead, they are but walking vegetables!" Then in an irritated tone, John says. "Rowland, Alan, take him outside."

Alan and Rowland take a good hold on Jack the two men move the passive combative Jack through the Eagle. Helena, Victor and Freda as John watch. Once Alan, Rowland and Jack are walking down the gangplank all follow.

Once John is out on the ground he turns and closes the hatch. Freda is hugging Jack and he calms down and he says. "They are the vegetables but you are my flower."

"Oh, Jack… please stopped." Without anyone noticing Helena returns into the Eagle as John gets closer to Jack and asks. "Colonel Tanner. Look at me."

"Yes."

"Have you seen anyone else from Alpha? I have three people missing."

"I have only seen, Alan… you, him and the lady with you."

"You have at any time seen or talk to anyone else from Alpha besides the ones you see now?"

"I tell you no… but if they are missing. The trees took them as they did to me… in the cave by the cascades."

"What cascades?" Then Rowland says. "Commander, he is in an erratic state of mind. If Freda and I take him, in the morning he will be in a more… um, tranquil state of mind and your people will be back."

"I hope so, Doctor Rowland." Then John's attention returns to Jack. "Was it you, during our first contact over the radio that warned me of Thule?"

"Yes, I was. I sensed your arrival and told Rowland. He did not believe me it was you and to prove me wrong he called and you answer. Commander you most leave Thule behind." John puts his hand gently on Jack's shoulder and says. "Will talk in the morning when you are more rested."

Then Helena says behind the group. "He has a fast heart rate, two old broken ribs no contusions. Um?" Rowland's eyes open wide seen Helena using a medical scanner and he pulls Jack away. "Je, je… Doctor Russell. You don't have to do that. We appreciate your concern."

"Just doing my job and tomorrow I want to check all the survivors before we leave. You know the medical protocol, Doctor Rowland a full medical physical and once in Alpha a 72 hours quarantine and more tests."

"Oh, yes, yes of course but given the circumstances and that there is no International Lunar Organization we can forgo all that?"

Then John says. "The I.L.O might not be around but its laws, rules and regulations are followed in my base as we must follow your rules on Thule."

"Of course Commander, I understand. We will take him and we will see you in the morning. Good night and please forgive us with this incident."

"I understand and all is forgiven but I am concerned with my three missing."

"Of course, good night." Once Rowland is far from the Eagle he says. "You almost screwed all up. We want to leave. Not for them to stay!" Jack reply with surprise. "Really?"

"Yes really. Stop your shenanigans and behave properly." Jack stays quiet but he finds that all wanting to leave to be wrong but he can't tell why.

In the Eagle, Alan tells everyone what Jack told him but Helena is still reviewing the scans she took of Jack in the Eagle's computer. John has called using the Eagle's Comm-link to the three missing with no response. Victor stands next to Helena and asks her. "Why you keep looking at Jack's scan?"

"Something is odd. Jack matches as a human but there is a lot of chlorophyll in the readings."

Alan hears Helena and he says. "Doctor, they are farmers and they most have the stuff all over their clothing and he did not have the pristine Sunday shirt as the others."

"I use a low level scan on him but it looks like the chlorophyll is in him and in great amounts."

Alan smiles and he leans forward on the seat and says. "You do not believe what he is saying? All are a kind of plant life form. These are people that at one time or another we cross paths with on the Moon before Mentor came along. I say we find Tony, Maya, and Mateo and get everyone home."

John asks. "Victor, show me the pictures taken by the probe of this area."

Victor moves to one of the terminals and commences to search the database and finds it. "Here. What are you looking for?"

"The cascade Jack mentioned. In his state of mind is the only thing he said related to our missing. Maybe Mateo or Maya might be wandering lost in the woods with their Comm-links down but not Tony. He has Special Forces training in land navigation and survival."

"Maya is with Tony and still Maya can turn into a bird and find her way from above but Mateo got lost in town. Having three missing people the same night and in different parts of this valley, that is no coincidence." Alan said and John points into the screen and says. "Alan, come here."

"Yes sir."

"Mark this coordinates in the flight computer that is the only cascade nearby. If we don't find them there we will do a search from the air. We don't have much time before the Moon is out of range."

"Yes sir."

Meanwhile, Rowland is on his patio as he hears in the distance the roar of the Eagle's engines. He looks and sees the bright lighted craft turning and flying slowly over the river with its powerful searchlights on. Rowland turns and says. "They are looking for their missing."

"Two attacked us and one found the truth about all of you. They are in seclusion."

"If Koenig finds that any harm has come to them, he could level this whole planet. You heard all they had to endure defeating powerful adversaries in their path. They have the weapons."

"Proceed as planned."

"Yes sir."

In the Eagle, John is talking to Paul telling him all that has happened in the past two hours. Then Alan says. "We are here."

"Okay Paul, I will call in one hour."

"Okay sir, Alpha out."

"Alan, get closer to the cascade."

"Yes sir. This Eagle needed a car wash anyway."

"Activate the Sono-scan at maximum."

"I am switching from Ladar to Sono-scan at full blast."

The two pilots look at the flight screen now displaying the digital representation of the terrain without the thick forest. The high-frequency ultrasound bounces and the entrance of a large cave is discerned in the screen. "Commander, right there is the cave."

"At least on that Tanner was telling the truth. Find a place to land."

"Yes sir. There is a clearing 20 meters toward the river."

"Let's land there."

The Eagle lands and Alan and John do the shutdown procedures. Victor walks into the flight deck and asks. "John, are you planning on taking weapons?"

"Why? My suspicions are around Tanner doing something to them and he is in the village with Rowland."

"It is that, I find odd that one frail man could do anything physical as we suspect. Especially to Tony and Maya at once, you saw how Alan handled him here in the Eagle. It could be the chance that Rowland has not told us everything about his political dynamics with all the survivors. Alan was right by stating the odds of three people missing the same night from different places in this valley."

John thinks about it and replies. "You are implying that there could be another group that separated from the ones we met?"

"It could be the case. We don't have an accurate count of the survivors yet or solid evidence that Tanner had something to do with Maya, Tony and Mateo's disappearances."

"Okay, we will take pistols."

Already John and Alan are walking to the cargo pod area and Alan opens the weapons locker. Helena seen this asks. "You are taking weapons?"

"It is for just in case. Victor, stay and continue to scan the area. Helena, stay and help Victor. Alan and I will check the cave."

"What if they are hurt and need medical attention?"

"Then I will send Alan for you."

Alan gives John a pistol belt and a body light plus one handheld flood light. The two departing men stand by the hatch and John says. "We will be back soon." Alan opens the hatch and both walk out.

.

The cave.

.

The Eagle landed on the broad flood banks of the river. The surface is mostly covered by rounded small igneous rocks and spread apart large rounded boulders all worn down by the thousands of years of water erosion from the river. However, mud and other debris cover also the landscape. About 100 meters to the right is the forest and ahead John and Alan's handheld lights are revealing the entrance to the cave.

As they approach they noticed the trees moving as by a strong wind but none is felt. Alan stops and turns toward the tree line and shines his light into the forest and says. "That is odd?" John does the same with his light and replies. "Why the trees are moving, there is no wind?"

"I don't know but looks creepy." Then Victor's voice comes through the Comm-link. "John, I am detecting a lot of movement in the forest."

"Is someone coming?"

"The movement is stationary."

"Stationary?"

"Like a person moving its arms and legs in place. That is the only way I can convey what the instruments are detecting."

"Alan and I are seen what the scan is picking up. The trees are moving as if there was a strong wind but there is none."

"Then for what I am seen through the instruments and for what you just told me, the scan shows the movement of the trees. But how can that be with no wind?"

"Um? I don't know but we are continuing to the cave."

In the Eagle, Victor looks at the scan and intrigued he says to Helena. "I am going to do a bio-scan on the trees and pass the information to your medical station."

"Why, they are just trees? That would be Mateo's field of expertise."

"Maybe it was not Tanner after all. What if, in his mental state, he has been telling the truth?"

"Human-based, plant D.N.A? That means that all the people from the Phoenix are plant-based organisms."

"It could be the case. What if, there is a merging of sorts by means that we don't know yet and Rowland has kept secret."

"That is why he was uncomfortable when I mention about the full physical medical exams for the survivors."

"Exactly. I am loading the information of the bio-scan and tell me what you see."

Meanwhile, Alan and John are approaching the entrance and they see one pine tree on the left side of the entrance but it is not moving as the other trees. "Why that one is not moving?" Alan asked. "I don't know."

The two walk closer to the entrance and once next to the tree. The tree moves to reach for Alan and John. Both men were watching the tree and react by running into the cave.

The tree bends to reach for John but he ducks and rolls into the cave. John stands up next to Alan and the tree bends into the entrance. Both men have their weapons drawn but without opening fire, they retreat into the safety of the cave.

Once both men are out of reach Alan turns to the entrance and yells. "Gronk!" Alan turns to John who is looking at him and Alan goes to say. "I had to let go that one sir."

"I feel the same way." John grabs the Comm-link and calls. "Victor."

"John, Helena discovered that the trees have a sort of muscular system, they can move."

"Yes, we just noticed."

"What happen?"

"One just tried to grab us." Then Helena's voice is heard. "John, they have an intricate nervous system and the inner core is behaving as a human brain would by sending signals through a very dense network of neurons. Not only they can move but think."

John answers somewhat irritated. "If they can think they can find a way to communicate but they have not even tried. What is wrong with all the aliens we encounter? They don't contact us and the first thing they want to do is to attack us."

"Maybe space is no different from an African Savanna on Earth with predators and prey." Victor said and John replies. "I am starting to believe that is so. Alan and I will continue and I hope those trees don't uproot and walk."

"So do us, Eagle One out."

Both men renew their march. After a few meters, the cave opens into a larger cavern chamber with stalagmites and stalactites emerging from the ceiling and floor creating the illusion of a stone forest and the only light is coming from the powerful handheld lights. As Alan moves his light from his far left toward the center he notices something that shows an unnatural straight lines sticking out from the ground. "Commander, look at this."

John and Alan walk to the strange object and both look at it. The object looks familiar. John approaches it and with his boot clears the debris of soil and rock over it.

The object has four supports at both ends in its corners that are inclined and definitely the material is metallic. Alan goes to say as he squats down to look. "I would swear that this is the roof of a car?"

"It does look that way." John replied and he flashes the light forward and both see more similar objects of different shapes sticking out from the ground in a line. Alan stands up and says. "Rush hour?"

"A road?" Both men move their lights and commence to notice parts of building structures embedded in the sides of the cavern. They distinguish windows and door frames. "Commander, how long it takes for a mountain to swallow a city?"

"This is something that under other circumstances I would have Victor look into it but we have to find the others. Let's keep going."

They continue and as they do, John and Alan notice more signs of an ancient advanced civilization incrusted in the wall and floor of the cavern. They reach the end of the cavern to encounter the front of a building breaking through the wall.

A wide large granite staircase leads upward to a set of large doorframes. The pair walks up reaching the doors and they flash their lights into a large rotunda.

Alan and John enter and they stand in the center, around them the inner structure is of two stories all interconnected by thick supporting columns on both floors. Behind the columns, strange silhouettes not taller than a person are seen. Alan says. "More trees?"

"Don't know."

A deep echo voice responds to the right and both men turn seen a grotesque bi-pedal figure move toward them and then it stops. "Hello, Commander Koenig. We were told you were coming."

Although the voice of the creature is not human it sounds familiar to John but he can't place it and John asks. "Who are you?"

"We are the venerated ones, the respected ones, the ones that before we were as the one you met up above."

Then John realizes who is he talking to and he replies with surprise. "Doctor Cabot Rowland?"

"I was but never was. I carry his memories as to be him. You in the other hand are a conundrum of scientific relativity, you are alive but Cabot Rowland died thousands of years ago." Alan says. "Wait, are there two Doctor Rowland?"

"Two? Including me and the one you met we are hundreds of us, already fully formed into a tree." John says. "You are describing a cycle of life?"

"In this planet, that is the way. Hundreds of thousands of years ago if not more the original inhabitants of this planet discovered the secret of eternal life or so they thought. The base of this elixir was derived from plant life on the planet but it was too late when they realized the side effects. They all commence to turn into trees. They did reach immortality because they still out there alive."

"How you and all the Passengers of the Phoenix fit in all this?"

"Oh, the new pool of alien D.N.A… yes. That was us. I am sure you have noticed the lack of animals and insects on the planet?"

Alan gets closer to John and tells him in a whisper. "This is a villain's monologue." John answers in the same tone. "I know, stay alert." Then John answers to their host. "Yes, I noticed."

"Even though the inhabitants are trees they, in their state, continue to experiment with all the original creatures of the planet to reverse their new state of being but with no success. Not until the Phoenix crash landed with all hands lost except for one Jack Tanner, the one that has not totally reverted living on the planet for thousands of years."

"I see, so he is not mad at all."

"His madness is from seeing the cycle of rebirth and transformation of his comrades. The trees took the D.N.A of the dead creating the facsimiles you have seen but Tanner was injected with a derivative of a serum making him for what was intended from the start to be, humanoid and immortal."

"The trees experimented with him and the dead. Where are my people?"

"They are over there in the adjacent chamber and we have found interesting the symbiotic relationship of Maya and her guest."

"Then we are leaving as soon as we get them."

"Leave! Oh no Commander. You are to stay and using the Moon we will reach Earth and find more Jack Tanners to revert this condition."

John pulls his side weapon and Alan follows suit and John says. "Stand back!" Several of the trees like creatures move to attack, John and Alan open fire burning them. They continue to fire as more advanced, and then a small tremor is felt coming from the chamber that this Rowland pointed to.

A large animal similar to an elephant but larger with armor bone plating emerges from the darkness stumping and smashing the aggressors. Alan says as he continues to fire. "Maya?"

"She is the only one that can do that. Move toward her."

The animal continues to smash the foes while avoiding hurting John and Alan as both men continued to fire. The aggressors retreat into the darkness behind the columns. The animal makes several gestures and John says. "She wants us to follow her."

The trio enters deeper through a hallway until reaching a large room. Alan stands guard by the entrance as John runs toward an unconscious Tony who is on the floor. John checks on him then he sees Mateo next, but for his surprise, he sees a third person a female at the other side of Mateo.

John approaches the woman to recognize her as Maya, but her Psychon features are gone. John realizing something turns to the animal that is reverting into humanoid form. "Ma'ayan?"

"Yes, Commander is me." Then she falls to the ground. Ma'ayan struggles to be conscious and John reaches her. "Commander, if we are not together we will die. I was waiting for a rescue and this is a life and dead last resort action. Move me close to Maya."

John complies and once both women are close to each other, both merge. Then Maya slowly awakens. "Commander, the vines around Tony and Mateo's ankles remove them. They secrete a tranquilizing fluid, remove them."

John with his boot removes the vines and immediately Mateo and Tony commence to regain consciousness. John helps them as Maya stands but holding her body against the wall. Alan fire several times and the creatures retreat again. Tony asks. "Commander, what are you doing here?"

"Questions and answers for later. Can you walk?" But Alan says. "It is more if they can run."

"Yes sir, I can walk." John helps now Mateo. "Are you okay?"

"Yes sir." Then John turns to check on Maya and he asks. "Why Ma'ayan did not detach herself from you earlier and help all of you to escape?"

"Sir, she did not know how far she had to go to reach safety. We can't be separated but just for a few minutes or both will die."

"For how long you knew of this?"

"I just found out."

Alan fires again and he says. "Commander, they are getting bold out there. We better start moving."

Alan aims and presses the fire button but his weapon does not discharge. He rapidly expels the expend battery and puts a new one in the weapon. Then he fires.

John looks at his weapon's energy gage. "I have ten more shots and one more battery." John asks Maya. "We need you to turn into something that can take us out of here."

"How high is the cave?"

"The lowest I saw, 25 meters."

"Okay, get ready."

Outside, the creatures commanded by the deformed Rowland, take positions around the entrance to do a final push and retake the room and those in it. Then a barrage of fire comes out as a loud thunderous noise makes the aggressors retreat a few feet back. A, massive African Elephant, comes out with Tony, Mateo as Alan and John riding on top.

Alan and John continue to fire as Mateo and Tony kick any attackers from reaching the top of the Elephant. They plow to the crowd on humanoid flora into, what once was a street.

John and Alan open fire at the maximum capacity of their weapons collapsing the heavy geological features above the entrance of the ancient building. The collapse debris covers the entrance but the creatures push the boulders from the top of the downfall mass of rocks.

"They are persistent!" Tony said and Mateo replies. "Those are the most aggressive plants I have ever seen."

John goes to say. "Maya go straight following the line of vehicles!" Maya complies and the race continues. Light commences to be seen ahead and Alan says. "Commander we need to be ready for our friend."

"The Gronk!?"

"Exactly."

.

The standoff.

.

The group reaches the entrance and this time, Alan and John do not hesitate to open fire at the guardian tree of the cave. The tree sways in pain and Maya passes with no obstructions. They continue riding along the river bank until the Eagle is in view. Surrounding the spacecraft are the villagers then Maya stops at a distance and the riders dismount.

This time Maya turns into a large saver tooth tiger now both sides are facing each other in a standoff. Alan and John point their weapons as Maya's roar echo through the whole area. Rowland walks ahead out of the crowd and stands a few feet from John to say. "Commander, you know there is no escape." John opens a Comm-link channel and says. "Victor."

"Yes John."

"Tell Paul, that we are under hostile attack and that no one from the Moon will come to the planet, not even to rescue us. Tell him code- Bravo. Also, if we are not on board in the next four minutes take off."

"Yes John."

"Commander, isn't that too drastic?"

"Drastic would be to irradiate this planet with high-velocity microwaves. You know very well that the radio telescope on the Moon can do that. We are getting on board."

"Commander, we want to return home… to Earth. We have been trapped in this planet under the control of the trees."

"Return!? You want us to turn into those creatures in the cave!?"

"Turn you into the reveres ones? Those are the original dwellers of the planet and we don't go near that cave."

"Why?"

"It has been forbidden by the trees. We stay in the valley and them in the cave."

"You are lying! You know who they are!"

Then a voice from the crowd says. "Commander, he is telling the truth because he doesn't know." Jack walks out and stands next to Rowland and he continues to say. "This people as the people before them do not know, who lives in the cave."

Rowland pushes on Jack slightly for him to stay away but Jack stands his ground. Rowland says. "You are mad, go home."

"No, I will not. I lost count of how many Rowlands and Fredas as all of you I have met. The venerated ones will one day reach a complete transformation to become trees and you all will turn into them. All of you will walk into that cave to never return!"

"Freda! Take him back!"

Freda approaches Jack but he runs toward John and he says out loud. "All of you will go into that cave and on that day the vine surrounding the Phoenix will bloom and pods will grow and another batch of duplicates will be born at the age the real passengers died."

"None sense, I am Cabot Rowland."

Jack turns to the crowd and says. "I was the only survivor of the crash. After we left the Moon we spend months in open space trying to reach this solar system. Once we made it into orbit around the planet, the Phoenix had almost no fuel. The re-entry thrusters stop working during the decent and the ship tilted enough that crack open the upper hull by the heat. The atmosphere vented and all died. All died but me."

Jack looks at Freda and he says with a sorrow. "Oh, my beautiful, tolerant flower of mine, you too will enter the cave and a new one will bloom just like a flower does."

Jack goes down on his knees and in a begging tone, he says. "Commander I want you to end this, hell… this course I am living. I am not human anymore. I am half them half me."

The Auxiliary power unit of the Eagle commences to work and seconds later the main engines are on. From John's Comm-link Helena's voice is heard. "John, please hurry! Victor is taking off, just get ready." Alan looks at John and says. "Does Doctor Bergman have a class two flight certification to fly an Eagle?"

"No."

"I thought so."

The Eagle lifts a few feet and unexpectedly the craft swigs over the crowd like an opening door. Either the people run or go down to the ground to avoid been hit by the Eagle.

The ship then moves sideways and Helena opens the hatch and John yells. "Let's go!" And the group jumps into the still moving craft.

Helena yells down the hallway to Victor. "All are in!"

Victor flies the ship upward but before Helena could close the hatch and for the surprise of all, Rowland reaches in moving into the craft. "All of you will pay for this!"

Alan aims at Rowland but Victor's erratic flying makes Alan miss hitting a survival 5 gallons plastic water container by the rack next to the hatch. The container explodes and most of the water falls on Rowland.

He commences to dissolve into a horrific form, his muscles and bones are seen as he holds his hands to his face and slowly opens them to show his skeletal appearance while yelling in pain.

John aims at Rowland's chest opens fire and he falls backward into the waiting abyss. Helena closes the hatch and John still on the floor looks at Alan and asks. "Why the water trick and not just shoot him?"

"I missed, the Eagle moved sideways and I missed. That thing was no man at all."

"He was not, the real one still down there. Go and pilot ship."

"Yes sir." John stands and Helena embraces him to say. "I thought this was a paradise."

"A paradise is what we make and I think the name Phoenix sits right with what goes on down there."

"The rebirth of the creatures on the planet is what you mean?"

"Yes, a rebirth. But Tanner does not have to endure that for all eternity." Helena still embracing John looks at him and asks. "What can we do?"

"Can't come to Alpha because that is what Rowland wanted for whatever reason. Neither Tanner has to live that life."

"You are not planning on killing him or destroy the village with him in it?"

"I don't know."

.

Decisions and endings.

.

Once Eagle One arrives on the Moon, Helena orders a deep bio- decontamination process of all the equipment, the ship and personnel also to burn all the uniforms. The group is in the bio-quarantine area of the hospital. Victor is with Maya reviewing all the data collected, Tony, Alan and Mateo are playing cards as Helena and John look out of the window.

The Moon has passed the closest point to the planet an hour ago and all the preparations for the next jump will be completed in the next hour. The planet from the perspective and distance of anyone looking from the Moon, it looks with the same dimensions of the Moon when seen from Earth.

The green and blue mass float peacefully with the distant galaxies as a background but for all in Alpha the truth it is known that in reality, it is not a peaceful place at all. "Commander."

"Yes Paul."

"There is a call coming in from the planet." Helena and John exchange looks of surprise. Victor and Maya as the others stop doing what they are doing to look at John.

"Patch it through."

"Yes sir." With a mix of static, a voice heard. "Commander?"

"Jack?"

"Yes sir. I am calling to wish you the best of luck and also to tell you that as of yesterday, the whole group of villagers went into the cave and the vine is blooming."

"I don't know what to tell you. Thank you for your best wishes."

"You are welcome, sir. One question?"

"Yes?"

"Your probe orbiting the planet, what kind is it?"

"It is a Voyager class deep exploration Exo-Biosphere orbiter."

"You guys still using a fusion reactor in those?"

"No, we use something else… more powerful and with more yields. Is that what you are asking?"

"Yes sir that is the reason I am asking." John takes a big breath looks at the planet and says. "I understand your wishes. Goodbye Colonel."

"Goodbye Commander, the Space-Biosphere cargo ship Phoenix, 32176 heavy, singing off."

John stays silent and then he says to Helena. "He wants to serve on heaven than rule on hell."

"John, honey… what did he ask you?" John stays silent again looking at his wife and then calls. "Paul."

"Yes sir."

"Have the probe crash over the village with all its reactor vents open."

"Sir, doing that the two fuels will mix and…" "Do it!"

"Yes sir."

"John, what you just ordered?"

"What, Colonel Jack Tanner wanted for a long time."

On the planet, Jack walks to his old ship and he as in the past, sees the pod from where Freda will emerge as she always do. "My little Flower, I will be reunited with you."

A distant thunder is heard from above, Jack looks up and smiles when he says. "Look Freda, a beautiful shooting star. It is a beautiful shooting star. Finally, wishes do come through. "

Right above the valley, the probe explodes and its expansive detonation burns the valley and carves a deep crater. The anti-matter explosion is seen from Alpha as a flash of light and all is done. Jack Tanner can finally rest in peace.

"Commander."

"Yes Paul?"

"We lost all telemetry with the probe. We detected an energy detonation release of 88 Exa-Joules on the surface over the Phoenix site. Nothing could have survived."

"Thank you Paul, that is all."

All in the quarantine room stay silent. John continues to look out of the window and Helena asks. "John, I know they attacked us, desecrated humans remain for experiments and they made Tanner endured centuries of captivity that drove him mad. But to resort to this just like that?"

"I care less for those serve serving humanoids that wanted immortality. Their sentencing and punishment was carryout by their own greed for immortal power, they do deserve to be trees and see the passage of time in their new bodily forms. But to drag an innocent man into their hell, I just ended that. I will assure you that we will encounter other sentient creatures like them. That is all we have found in our path to our home."


	4. Chapter 4

**.**

**.**

**Another time, another place.**

.

The journey so far.

.

Two years have passed since they encountered the facsimile survivors of the Phoenix. In that period, the Moon has not met anyone in their path. The Moon dwellers enjoyed the calm given to them by dedicating their time for research and development of Tachyon based technologies also to improve their living conditions.

Even Gorski and his people have been quiet but in part by Edward Straker and his undetermined amount of S.H.A.D.O operatives and military equipment at his disposal.

With every jump, the Moon is getting closer to Earth traveling through the void between the galaxies.

One day, when closing to the Milky Way Galaxy, a trader arrives at the Moon searching for business but little that all knew. The trader knew of Ma'ayan and wanted to kidnap her due to a bounty placed on her by an unknown group.

John Koenig realizes the real purpose of the enigmatic trader, and with the help of Tony Verdeschi and Maya, they destroyed the trader's ship killing him as he tried to murder all in Alpha by using a lethal bio-agent capable of killing all in the term of 12 hours this bio-agent was given to the trader by his enigmatic sponsors.

Six months later and five years after their abrupt departure from Earth the Moon in its semi-controlled path toward home it passed through another errant solar system in the void among the galaxies, where two warring sides used the Moon as a staging site for their war. Two planets are engaged in mortal combat for millennia and once again John Koenig with the help of Edward Straker and Anton Gorski repel the two invading forces buying enough time for the Moon to jump away from the war-torn solar system.

But in their hurry to leave while a massive armada of warships closes in on the Moon. John orders a blind jump that inexplicably brings the Moon very close to home, three years before the anticipated time of arrival.

.

The unknown entanglement.

.

It has been a week since the serendipitous lucky jump brought the Moon near the edges of the Solar System. Repairs are complete of Alpha from the damage caused during the conflict they left behind.

All in the M.C.C are collecting data and calls have been sent to Earth. John has considered sending an Eagle, but he hesitates in doing so for the uncertainty of the trip to be made by Alan Carter and the crew of the scout Eagle.

Victor and Maya are briefing John on the M.C.C floor using the Holo-projector. "John, if we make one more jump that will put us at 400,000 miles from Earth and then we can maneuver the Moon into its original orbit."

"Victor, I understand your point and the urgency to do so, but what if… we rammed a ship or space station that we don't know about."

"We can accurately determine that by the use of the radio telescope." John looks at the Holo-Projector and replies. "Okay Maya, let's take that into account, and we jump then we disturb all space traffic around the Earth causing a collision by our sudden arrival. Also that no one has responded to our calls and that has me more worry."

Maya replies. "Maybe Earth discovered a new method of wireless communications as to say, a different kind of radiant energy used that we don't know and different to both normal and our new Tachyon frequencies. For all, we know they could be answering and they know of our approach. All we need to do is to send a repeated message making them aware of our F.T.L jump capabilities."

"I do understand that on Earth they have not mastered the Tachyon wireless communications as we have and yet they can undust old radio equipment to talk to us through our regular frequency. Not receiving an acknowledgment to our message to coordinate our approach with them is too risky,"

"John, Maya and I understand your concern, but we can determine what is ahead of us before we jump."

"Victor, it is their silence what worries me also they can't be blind. They have surveillance equipment, either optical or remote electromagnetic sensors to know we are here. It is not every day you have a moon entering the Solar System. We should know of them by now, and we do not. According to the both of you and Albert Einstein we arrived 700 to 900 years after we left, they should have technologies beyond ours to reach us."

Victor says. "That is why I have this sense of urgency to reach Earth. Something is not right."

John replies. "Victor you are right, something is wrong. I will take on the side of caution. No jumps and no Eagles not until we are at a reasonable distance from Earth to launch either a probe or a crewed spacecraft with close support from Alpha to ascertain the reason for their silence."

Victor goes to say with a little disappointment in his voice. "John, I was hoping to get off this ride sooner." John smiles and says. "At this speed, when the Moon will arrive at Earth?"

"In three hours."

"Three hours, we are lucky to be here three years early. Three hours is nothing."

"Okay, three hours it is." Then John turns to the youngest crew member in the M.C.C its communications officer. "Jackie."

"Yes, sir."

"No response to our calls yet?"

"None sir and I also searched for other signals, Mars is quiet the Europa is quiet, and the asteroid mining colonies are quiet. No one is home."

"Um? Did you search for commercial broadcasts?"

"There is nothing. Not even I Love Lucy." Victor says to the young officer. "I think that type of transmission is way beyond Kepler 138."

"Oh, I know that Doctor Bergman. I was checking if we travel back in time."

John opens his eyes and slowly turns to his two top scientists and asks. "Well, anyone checked on that? The young officer did, and we discussed that possibility." Victor clears his throat and says nervously. "Maya is working on that."

"I did." Maya replied, and John asks. "Well, what year is it?"

"It is 2454 according to the position of the local star group that is 300 to 600 years earlier as Doctor Bergman, Einstein and I originally estimated five years ago. Although, the stars are off by a few degrees according to the computer so the count it is not accurate yet." John asks. "What it is causing the degree differential?"

"I don't know yet. But Commander when else we can go but forward in time?"

"That is the reasonable assumption, but even Einstein and you through your equation of everything do postulate the possibility of reverse time travel. That is why maybe no one answers from Earth. They have not invented the radio yet."

"Commander but so far there is no indication of that and also I don't see a Moon around the Earth."

"It could be on the other side of the Earth. We are approaching Earth in an oblique orbit from its southern hemisphere."

"I am running a new program in the main computer to verify what year is it. I am sure it will pass 2099, sir."

"Oh, well. Three hours it is." John turns to Sandra. "Are all the preparations completed?"

"Yes, sir and all sections report ready."

"Kano."

"The computer as all the systems report ready and working properly. Just now, the computer completed another calculation for Doctor Roberts."

"Oh joy, that is my new time correction program. Now we will know the exact year." Maya said as Kano looks at the screen where the computer is reporting its findings he says. "I am sure this will clear the question."

Maya walks to Kano's station intrigued by his comment, and he bends backward on his chair with his arms cross. Maya reads, and Kano says. "It's still the same."

"Well, it is what it is." Maya said as John walks to the station followed by Victor. John reads then looks at Victor to say. "2454, so it is accurate?" Victor smiles and says. "Maya does her job."

"We have three hours to solve the communications problem."

"John, we will find out."

.

The orbits.

.

Three hours have passed, and Alan is at the central helm station. Alan inputs the commands of the orbital re-entry around the Earth calculated by Victor and Maya with the help of the main computer. Maya is following the progress from her station and she notices something and asks Alan. "Chief Carter, what is the output ratio of thrust?" Alan looks at the screen and replays. "The ratio is somewhat off for the speed, 0.067% loss."

John asks. "What is wrong Maya?"

"Nothing to worry about, sir. There is a minimal loss in the thrust factor. The sensors are indicating that we are using less Tachyons for propulsion than what we are taking as fuel. Yet, the speed is a bit above expected so there must be a malfunction in the sensors."

"Okay, I am sure you will find the malfunction, later. Continue with the maneuver."

Alan and Maya with the help of the main computer in concurrence with the use of the E-Collider central computer slows the Moon in a tangent trajectory at 200,000 miles from Earth as before the Moon's departure. The E-Collider charges all the gravity towers that now serve as navigation thrusters and slowly the Moon locks into its ancient original position.

Finally, the Moon has returned home.

All celebrate in Alpha in Tranquility lunar base and the mysterious S.H.A.D.O base known officially as Dalotek Corp.

In the M.C.C John is accompanied by his wife Doctor Russell, Victor and John's old friend Edward Straker Jr.

The festive atmosphere would remind anyone of a New Year's celebration. Finally, they are at home. Paul opens a bottle of Champagne, and he sprays everyone near him. The celebration and joy are so overwhelming that even Anton Gorski calls John from Tranquility base to congratulate him.

The one that is celebrating but still seating at his post is Jack Crawford, he still monitoring all the frequencies for a call from Earth. Alice Zoref, the chief engineer, walks up to him and says. "Jackie, come and drink some Champagne."

"Chief, I would like to, but I still have to do this." She grabs him gently by his arm trying to pull him away from his station, but he stands and yells. "NO!" All stop and turn to look at him. "I am sorry, Jackie. I just wanted for you to join."

"I am sorry, chief." John and Helena walk toward the young man with concern that only can be described as parental, and Helena asks. "Are you okay?"

"I am sorry, I apologized to all. But no one finds strange that we are not getting a reply this close from Earth? The Moon is pretty big to be missed."

"John, he is right." Said Edward and John look about and then to Jackie to say. "You are right, Jackie. Okay, everyone back to your duties. Alan, prep an Eagle for departure."

"Yes, sir." Saying that Alan leaves the M.C.C and John continues. "Victor, Maya find why no one is answering. Launch a probe with all the proper navigation transponders and visual traffic signals." Tony who has been all this time close to Maya asks. "Commander, what about me?"

"I hope, we don't need you." Then John looks at Edward to say. "Or you."

"I agree with that." Edward said.

"Tony."

"Yes, Commander?"

"Set your department for Def-Con four. I don't like the silence as Jackie does."

"Yes, sir."

Thirty minutes later, all in the M.C.C return to their regular responsibilities. In John's office, there is a small meeting with Maya, Victor, Helena, Edward and John behind his desk.

They are waiting for the first images of the probe to arrive as they talk about the lack of communication with Earth or for that, why no ship has come to receive them.

Edward is saying. "John and I have talked about the possibility that the Earth might have suffered an attack from an enemy that my agency has been preparing to repel for many years." Victor asks. "You are talking about the Plankton breathers, the alien civilization near to Earth?"

"That is correct Doctor Bergman. Since S.H.A.D.O's foundation in 2020, until the aliens stopped arriving in 2056, they have been covertly attacking Earth to gather human biological samples. Some scientists under the employment of my father believed that the aliens were arriving on Earth for centuries."

Then Helena asks. "So the United States found out of them on the Roswell crash in 1947?"

Edward smiles and then replies. "That was a balloon to spy on the Russians, and the U.S Government used the U.F.O theme to cover the sightings of secret aircraft over the United States and around the world."

"When then, the United States noticed them?"

"The real Roswell happened in Kecksburg, Pennsylvania in 1965." Maya asks. "Why the Plankton breathers acted so covertly?"

"Many thought that was the way they manage warfare but my father during the 36 years of clashes between S.H.A.D.O and them while he ran the agency. He concluded that they were doing scouting missions."

Victor asks. "Mr. Straker, what are you implying with all this concerning our situation?"

"If no one answers from Earth that could indicate that during our absence the aliens attacked in full force and we lost."

John finally speaks. "Once the Moon left Earth's orbit, the shifting of tectonic plates, the drastic changes of sea levels, radical weather changes and so on of cataclysms in sequence. Would have made humanity retreat from space all together to deal with more resources the disasters we left behind. The aliens could have taken advantage of the disarray on Earth to invade."

"I am sorry to dash your hopes on finding a more advanced human civilization than the one we left behind, but the lack of communications does indicate a possible invasion." Edward said. Helena says. "But it is not the only possibility."

"That is correct. I am establishing the scenario of invasion based on the work of my father and mine. It could be any other situation that hopefully we can handle and aid anyone down on Earth."

Paul calls in. "Commander."

"Yes, Paul."

"The probe is in orbit, and we have the first views."

"Pass them into my office, please."

"Yes, sir."

John stands, and the big screen behind the wall comes to view as the doors covering it open. All follow him, and John uses the remote to see the live fee.

The image shows, in the lower right corner, the coordinates and the name of the local area in view. Victor goes to say with surprise. "I recognized that it is New York City. That is Manhattan Island. What Happen?"

"I see collapsed and destroyed structures inside that forest. In a few minutes, the probe will fly over Boston." Maya said as all look, then John asks. "Maya, can we change to infrared to detect the body heat of humans?"

"Yes, sir." Maya uses her E-Pad and the view changes to a hue red color. Edward says. "Well, that is a hunter's paradise. I see a lot of deer but no people."

The group keeps observing all seeing crumble structures and disabled vehicles as rubble through the thick foliage. Then Maya changes the frequency of the camera, and now they are seen in the low band of the electromagnetic fields.

"Boston is a forest now." Helena said, and Victor goes on to say. "The probe is over Washington D.C that is the Potomac River."

John points into the screen as to get his bearings in relation to the river and says. "That is the Pentagon and over there Capitol Hill."

Then John turns to Victor and asks. "What is going on?" Victor is at awe, and he replies. "I don't know. Maybe Edward is right, or we did it to ourselves in another war."

Maya goes on to say. "Victor, there is no residual ionizing radiation and no biological agents that at least we know about."

"Not a global war?" John asked, and Maya replies. "Commander, let's wait until the probe completes an entire scan of the surface. I am sure there have to be indications of human life and an explanation of what happened."

"Um? Hold on. Paul."

"Yes, Commander."

"Survey the Earth and look for any human-made objects in orbit."

"I did that already sir. There are, but a handful of satellites in geosynchronous orbits but none are squawking."

"Thank you, Paul." Helena asks John. "What now?"

"We wait. We have to make sure Edward's friends did not do this and if so, where are they."

The probe continues on its orbit but a gleam of light hits the lens, and Maya moves the angle of the Camera to see the source. Slowly the image of a second Moon comes to view. All eyes are fixed to the screen, and then John says. "All indicated this been 2454, our future. There should not be another Moon but this one."

Edward says. "It was not the Aliens, or when we left the Earth not even a war among the nations. What is going on?"

"We need to get out of its way, even more, to be as far as possible from Earth." John said. Then John without saying a word walks out from his office and all follow him to the M.C.C floor except for Helena that continues to watch the live fee from the probe. John walks to Paul's station and asks. "Who is in the E-Collider base?"

"It is Doctor Carolyn Powell with her techs and the refueling teams."

"Call her."

"Yes, sir… Alpha control to Doctor Powell, please respond." Carolyn answers. "Go ahead Alpha."

Then John asks her. "When can we move the Moon out of this orbit, let's say, six hundred thousand miles from Earth?"

"In 48 hours, sir."

"Sooner than that. I mean like, now?"

"We can start now, but there is not enough Helium-3 for a jump in the Collider's fuel cells yet."

"Just using thruster maneuvering power?"

"I estimate that in about three hours we can reach 600,000 miles. Also sir, I am checking on a thrust to energy output ratio variance in the system. It is minimal but it is there."

"Check that later, get ready the E-Collider we are moving the Moon now."

"Yes sir but keep in mind, the safety inspections are not completed."

"I am aware of all concerns. Get the E-Collider online under 30 minutes."

"Yes, sir." Then John turns to Maya. "Take the helm and prep the system and keep an eye on that ratio variance."

"Yes, sir." Victor says. "Maya's last calculation in the computer was correct, but another Moon?"

"Yes, we are in the year 2454, and there is another Moon. We are on the only Moon there is in the Universe."

"I better return to my base and get ready." Edward said. John turns to him to say. "At least we don't need your guns this time."

"I hope it stays like that."

Meanwhile, Carolyn and her team are preparing the E-Collider first stage accelerators from the institute's command center. Carolyn is at the main station overseen the center's secondary stations below in the control center. The essential stations are crewed by Carolyn's techs the rest are empty, but the information from the empty stations is handled by Alpha's main computer or the E-Collider's mainframe.

Carolyn is re-organizing the process of moving the Moon by Tachyon torque power. After each jump, the main equatorial collider is inspected as the gravity towers used during the jump, as the reactors fuel cells are refueled.

Gravity towers are alternated to maintain the protective shield around the Moon during the inspection. While all this is done, the fullers arrive from the Helium-3 refineries to the different fuelling points around the E-Collider delivering the metric tons of fuel needed.

Now Carolyn has to change the whole process established and orders all the inspectors as fullers to stop their operations and retreat to a safe distance from the massive, E-Collider.

Twenty minutes into the process, Carolyn calls the M.C.C. "Alpha control, this is the E-Collider command center."

"Go ahead."

"Paul, we will commence the orbital change at your command the E-Collider is active."

"Copy that, I will tell the Commander."

In the M.C.C, Victor just finished calculating the orbits of the Moons and walks up to John. "We don't need to do this now."

"Why?"

"Although the other Moon is moving toward us, we have 25 days before we collide. We can follow the pre-fight procedures of the Tachyon drive system in the 48 hours we normally do it."

"I can't take the chance. Two Moons pulling on the Earth might do more damage."

"John it will only take 48 hours until the E-Collider system is inspected and fully charged."

"I understand your point, but in those 48 hours, we could start the beginning of a volcanic chain reaction that we will not be capable of stopping and Earth is perfect for us as it is. I want to have ample distance between the Earth and us."

"You are right. Our Moon is exerting an extra gravity pull on the Earth." Paul turns toward John. "Sir the E-Collider is active."

"Good. Maya, take us out of orbit."

"Yes, sir."

Once again the E-Collider system is fired, and Maya plots a course away from Earth from the main helm station. John and Victor look at the Holo-projection where the computer is tracking the path. The Moon commences to move away from the Earth.

Maya says. "Sir, the trajectory is optimal. We will reach the 600,000 miles mark in two hours forty-seven minutes." Then Maya sees in one of the displays a familiar odd occurrence and she says. "Doctor Bergman, can you please look at this."

John and Victor walk toward Maya as she points to one of the screens in the helm station and says. "There it is again. I check the sensors and the logs and found no problems with them and yet they are registering a loss of thrust of 0.086%."

"That is more than before. The speed is 0.02% less than when we were approaching the Earth." Then John asks. "Should we be worry about this?"

Victor replies. "No but it is odd. Is as if the E-Collider is taking Tachyons as always but they are less converted into a propulsion force. I would not worry about it, the loss of speed and propulsion ratio force it is minimal."

Maya then adds. "Sir, I believe it must be the Earth and the other Moon gravitational pull creating a marginal drag pulling on our Moon. Once we are far the attraction will stop."

"What about that loss of propulsion?" John asked and Victor answers. "It must be sensors giving a false reading."

John thinks about it and says. "Maya, keep me posted. Victor, come to my office." Both men walk into John's office to see Helena rewinding and forwarding the latest images from the probe taken of the other Moon. "Helena, what are you doing?"

"Oh, John… I was about to call both. Look at this on the other Moon." Helena rewinds the view and plays it forward in slow motion, and she points into the screen. "Look here at this flash of light."

The two men wait, and a flash of light is seen, and Helena then says. "Look closely." Victor who is the closest to the screen looks as he points and says. "It is a reflection of something on the surface. Is that Alpha crater on the other Moon?"

John answers. "It is Alpha crater. The source of the flash it is too far to make it out." John thinks about what to do next.

"Sir, that Moon has a faint glow. Do you see it?"

John, Helena, and Victor turn to see Maya by the entrance of the office and John says. "Come in. What makes you think that Moon is glowing?"

"I used the probe to detect any small anomalies, and that Moon has a glow that is not surface solar reflection."

John, Helena, and Victor look at the screen, and John says. "I don't see it."

"I guess Ma'ayan can see it then I see it. That glow is perhaps so faint that the human eyes can't perceive it."

Helena asks. "What is going on, two Moons?" Maya answers. "I think I know. In my equation of everything, I described the Universe as a rope made of smaller ropes. Each small rope is a timeline."

"You mean an alternate universe?"

"No Commander. A timeline is a smaller unit inside a Universe that I describe in my theory. Each of the two universes, ours and the above speed of light each have timelines and all the timelines are divided among the 11 known dimensions. This is the year we should have arrived at Earth as per our early arrival. However, the second identical Moon is what makes me theorized we are in an alternate timeline inside the 4th dimensional realm or that Moon belongs to another timeline intruding in ours."

Victor shakes his head slightly as a no and goes on to say. "We can't generate enough energy on the Moon to jump timelines. The E-Collider can't do that even at peak output. So that has to be an intruding Moon into our timeline."

"That is one situation of three others. One is that the other Moon intruded in our timeline. Two, as we traveled in F.T.L, we took extra energy by intersecting a massive external source of energy increasing our propulsion output jumping into this timeline making us the intruders."

"And three, what is it?" John asked and Maya answers. "We latched into an errant stellar body with equal mass, momentum, direction, and energy as our Moon increasing our speed making us jump timelines."

"She is right on that John, mass, momentum and the inherent energy of an object it equates into the total energy of the object. But a Gamma-Burst it is the more likely candidate, more than latching to an object for it to transfer its total energy. However, still the more pronounce possibility that the other Moon is the intruder."

"Why not latching with that other Moon and both Moons arrived to Earth?" John asks

Maya replies. "Although it is possible, it is highly unlikely. Our Moon and the other Moon must be in the same place at the same time headed in the same direction. All those characteristics and conditions have to coincide, and for that to happen, it will be one against an astronomical number close to infinity. That other Moon had by necessity been errant with the same propulsion and maneuvering qualities or at least travelling as us to latch with our Moon light years away from Earth as we were. That other Moon looks as if it has been there all along."

John says. "So by your own observation we are the intruders due to an external force?"

Maya replies. "That is what I think so far but a more in-depth analysis has to be done. Us been in F.T.L at the time speed increased due to the hypothetical energetic source, we siphon energy using our Tachyon drive through the fabric of our space, time."

John says. "So then, if this is not our timeline an external force made us jump. If this is our timeline, the other Moon was dragged by us however we would had latch to it light years away from Earth. But the evidence suggests that it has been there all along, so… we jump timelines." Victor replies. "As Maya said, we have to look into this. Clearly, there are too many variations that are reasonable to have happened."

"But why Maya see that the other Moon glowing?" John asked. Maya answers. "I don't know myself but I see the glow."

Helena asks somewhat confused by all the scientific jargon to her. "All those explanations on how we got here so fast in the first place and if we are in our original timeline or not due to it? Seen that other identical Moon makes me believe we indeed jump into a different timeline or we travel back in time."

Victor replies. "Back in time? I doubt that looking at the buildings and structures in the probe's fee. They look contemporary to our time. All the circumstantial observations infer that this is not our timeline and if so, we might have to backtrack trying to find the point of entry into this timeline to return to ours."

"Without the extra push we received from the unknown external force, it could take us years. What if we have to backtrack all the way to the war-torn solar system we jumped from?" John said.

Maya goes on to say. "Commander, what we are talking about is all theory based on circumstantial observations on how we got here so fast and to determine if this is our timeline or not and why there is another identical Moon in orbit. The practical actions now taken to avoid a collision with the other Moon are the correct ones. Also to avoid influencing negatively the Earth's environment by putting some distance away. Once we are at a safe distance, we can investigate with more calm what happened. That Earth in front us could be our home this been our timeline or not."

"Maya is right. We have to make do with what we have now." John said, and then Kano calls. "Doctor Roberts."

"Yes, Kano?"

"The computer completed your new program and… well, you better come and see."

"That is okay, Kano. What is the result?"

"The year, the computer calculated is 2407."

"That is a different year from before?"

"That is the year the computer came up with. You put the new parameters in your program. It is not the computer's fault that is flipping the years around."

"Thank you Kano." John, Helena, and Victor look at Maya who is writing new parameters for her program, and John asks. "Then what is it, 2407 or 2454?"

Maya is still writing looking into her E-pad, and Maya replies. "The two occasions the computer was doing its calculations the Moon was moving. Maybe the radio telescope can't compensate with the small degrees of changes."

Victor asks Maya. "Could this change of years be due to a problem with the sensors?"

"Why, do you ask that Professor?"

"The variance on the ratio output force of propulsion with the fuel conversion that the sensors are detecting. I mean, the sensors are detecting variations that should not be there."

"Professor I will check that as well. There has to be a glitch in the sensor network and the Radio Telescope is connected to that network. Once the Moon stops, I will find out. Excuse me."

Maya slowly walkouts focus on her calculations and as she walks out Tony approaches her on his way to see John. "Hey, honey." She not even looks and Tony continues into the office saying. "She is in one of her. I need to find a solution, trances."

"Yes, we all know her. What you came to tell me?"

"We are solid in Def-Con Four."

"Good. Where is Tanya Alexander?"

"She is patrolling the east perimeter."

"Tell her to report to landing pad one."

"Ah, yes sir. Are you planning on a trip for her?"

"Yes, to check something we saw in the probe fee. Actually, I am going too."

"Then take me. Tanya can handle anything Gorski throw at us."

"No, that is fine. She will come with me and Alan in Eagle One."

Helena asks with a worried tone. "You are going to that other Moon?"

"Yes, I can handle it. Victor met me in pad one in thirty minutes."

"Okay but you are going to check that flash now on the other Moon?"

"Yes. As Maya said, all the correct steps are being taken to evade a collision and avoid harm to the Earth. We might find more information there to narrow down on what is happening."

.

Paths apart.

.

Forty minutes later Eagle One is approaching the other Moon. Victor is in the Eagle's pod with John and Tanya as Alan and Bill fly the Eagle to their destination.

Victor is scanning the surface now been closer. He does a general sweep of the surface, but when he narrows its search, he discovers something. "John, come look at this."

"What is it?"

"Look, there is a structure on this Moon's Alpha crater."

"It is not that big. It is about the same dimensions of Tranquility Base."

"Not of the same modular layout of cylindrical habitats. These structures are built and interconnected as Alpha."

"More like our buildings. What else can you detect?"

"It has a gravity tower network that is offline, and the lunar surface looks battered as if it has been bombarded by space debris for many years."

"No E-Collider?"

"No E-Collider, no roads or highways. No urbanized bases or a power grid system, just minor structures about."

John calls the cockpit. "Alan."

"Yes, sir."

"Complete one orbit and return over this coordinates."

"Yes, sir."

Victor asks John. "What are you looking for?"

"I don't know yet. But for sure, there should be remnants of a larger human presence in 2407 no matter what timeline it is."

"You are right."

The pilots slowly circumvent the Moon, and as they fly over the far side, Victor calls the two pilots. "Alan, Bill… can you slow down."

"Yes, Doctor." John walks to the science station and asks. "What did you found?"

"Look at this crater."

"Wow, is deep and bigger than anything we have on our Moon."

"That is right. The center of it coincides with the coordinates of the nuclear depots on our Moon and the radiation levels are high."

"Wait, hold on. If, and that never happened to us, if the depots on our Moon would detonate. It would rip apart our Moon and so to this one."

"That is true, and the detonation on this Moon was as big as if we would have that situation happen to us on our Moon."

"But something held together this Moon."

"A miracle held this Moon together and yet the orbit and orientation of this Moon it is the same as always. An explosion as big as that radioactive crater suggests, this Moon would be off its axis and missing major mass."

"It could not fly away?"

"Oh no, maybe as I just said, knock this Moon slightly off from its rotational axis and taking a big chunk out of it. That is all."

"But nothing of that happen."

"I can't explain it."

"But that moon base on this Moon, it does look familiar."

"John, are you thinking what I am thinking?"

"That base, on the near side could be another timeline's version of our Alpha."

"That is what I think." John ponders about it and calls Alan. "Guys."

"Guy one here."

"Alan, take us to that base, we are going to land."

"Yes, sir."

A few minutes later, the Eagle is flying in a slow circle at a lower altitude over the base. Alan goes to say over the speakers. "Commander, that base looks like a smaller version of Alpha. But it has taken a beating."

"Alan, land near a landing pad."

"Why not on it, they look like ours?"

"We don't know the condition of the infrastructure under the pad. We don't want the Eagle to fall down the elevator shaft if that base has a lower hangar bay at all."

"Okay, touchdown in one minute."

The Eagle lands as ordered by John. Alan and Bill shut down the engine as Tanya walk to the E.V.A suits locker, she asks. "Commander, who is going with you?"

"You, Victor and Alan are coming with me, Bill will stay."

"Okay." Tanya replied as she opens the E.V.A suits locker. She pulls only her Combat grey dark pattern spacesuit. All are looking at her, and she says. "What? You also want me to put your suits on. I have mine."

Then Bill says. "Sir, why do I always stay?" Alan answers. "You are the junior ranking person in here."

"Doctor Bergman has no rank."

"Young man, my rank is age and a Nobel Prize."

"That is no rank."

"Bill, you are the young hotshot cowboy of Alpha. Who else can move this horse if we need to leave in a hurry?"

Bill smiles listening to Victor and the young pilot looks at Alan to say. "I reckon that. I am the hotshot pilot of Alpha just certified by a Nobel Prize laureate."

Alan replies. "Don't… no, don't start. Don't get it over your head with the hotshot stuff. Please, Doctor, don't throw fuel in this fire."

Tanya goes to say. "Gentlemen, if you are done. You can get your suits on. We go in check the place out and go home."

John says. "All of you heard the officer, let's go, or she will handcuff us."

Bill says in a low tone to Alan. "She can handcuff me anytime."

Alan turns to look away from Bill and Alan replies. "She heard you… hotshot." Bill turns and Tanya is looking straight at him with her arms cross she says. "Sie sind zu jung für mich."

"Ah, the same to you." Bill replied and Tanya says. "Danka dir." John goes to say. "Let's go. We don't get pay by the hour."

.

The walk.

.

Once the four are outside the Eagle, they move toward the damaged landing pad, and Alan says. "This looks like one of our landing pads back in Alpha."

"There is access, over there." Tanya said as she points. Then the group moves toward it. "Alan, you have the pried-bar get in front."

"Yes, sir." As John and Alan slowly open the access door, Victor discovers something on the wall. Tanya sees the old Doctor wiping dust and dirt exposing a sign. "Doctor, what it says?"

"John, Alan come and look at this."

"The Commander and I we are tied on something here." Alan said as the two still try opening the door. Tanya reads the sign. "Landing Pad One maintenance access number three, Alpha Base. Wow, Doctor is this, a future Alpha base?"

"We will find out soon."

Alan and John open the door enough for all to walk through. Their suit's lights as the ones in their helmets cut through the darkness.

Small plums of dust fall from the upper door frame as they pass through the door and as they walk they loosen more dirt from the top supports of the metallic walkway. John goes to say. "It is a good thing we did not land on the pad."

At the other side of the hangar, there is a large gap on the outer wall made by an intrusive meteor that penetrated all the way into the hangar destroying the elevator support columns and trusses.

"No Eagles?" Victor said John replies. "If there are any, they must be under that mountain of Moondust and debris."

Alan stops and turns to John to say. "Okay, John, just one moment. You and Doctor Bergman are talking about all this with some calm. This is unnerving by the similarities to home. You even mention that there could be Eagles under that little mountain and the sign by the entrance of this hangar naming this place Alpha. What is going on?" Tanya asks. "This is Alpha or not?"

"The Commander and I have not said anything, not even between us two. From information obtained by the probe and this circumstantial evidence here, I think as the Commander, this is an alternate timeline Alpha base as the Moon it's on."

"But you are not sure?" Tanya asked, and John replies. "From here we wouldn't know. Let's walk into the base."

They eventually reach the connecting hallway to the rest of the base. Once again they have to use the pried-bar to open a set of doors. The hallway has no gravity or atmosphere. Cables as other fixtures hang from the ceiling.

Victor holds one of the broken cables and shows it to John. "Look at this John it is copper wiring."

"The practice of utilizing copper for electrical purposes stopped in mid-twenty-first century. This should be a bio-optical fiber conduit."

"John, the use of B.O.F conduits started in 2057 replacing the old Trans-fiber optics, this tech here is much older than the first optical cables used in the late 20th century."

"The Trans-fiber optical cables replaced the original optical cables so the use of copper cables is… what? Mid twenty century?"

"Approximately mid twenty century. A more advanced way must have been developed to channel electricity by 2407."

"Hey, guys. Come up here to the hallway intersection." Tanya said, and the three men walk up to her. "What did you found?"

"Look at this interface tower. We have something similar in every intersection in Alpha, but not like this."

Alan walks around the tower and says. "It looks so… analog. Even the clock is analog. What is that grey bulging square glass?"

Victor answers. "Those are only found in museums. They are called, televisor… no, wait… television screen tubes. All four sides of this interface tower have one."

"Tubes, like pipes?"

"No Alan. This is the great-great granddad of the bio-screens." John said. Then Tanya goes on to say. "How people interacted with the main computer through this thing? It has no touch screens and is so bulky it just stands here consuming power. Look on top. It has signs to indicate directions. " John goes on to say. "Let's keep moving."

As they continue, they go through sections that still untouched by time. In others, the group has to jump over craters caused by the impact of meteorites that cut through the structure, but most of the time they avoid the hanging equipment and cables from the ceiling.

They follow the directions of the signs to reach the command center. Alan goes to say. "The whole architecture of this base is very similar to ours." Victor replies. "Except for the technology used all else in here is similar."

"How much similar, Herr Doctor?"

"I would say… um, 90% similar? Look at this I just picked from the floor." John looks at it and asks. "What is it?"

"If my memory on my electrical engineering courses during my student days serves me well. This is a transistorized integrated board. This kind of technology was used during the 1960s to the 1970s before the digital silicon revolution of the 1980s."

"Whoever lived here was running this whole operation with technology from the 1970s?"

"John, the televisions, copper wires, and actual push buttons with no writing on them… the analog nature of the whole place it is indicating a technology based on the 1970's Earth."

"Hey! Here is the command center." Alan said. Victor gives John the old electric board for him to look as they walk toward Alan and John says. "I wonder if they had to boil water by an atomic reaction to pressurized vapor to run, generators."

"Most probably they did, and I wonder where they got the water from?"

"Comets, maybe… I am just a cop."

The group enters the empty command center. They see empty ports on the walls that at one time held electronic panels in place. The main computer has been gutted out.

The commander's office is in the same condition as in the command center area. The only feature that still stands it is an office chair similar to the one John uses in his office, placed at the entrance of the office facing the command center area.

Victor walks to the center of the command center looking at the ceiling, and he says. "No holographic projectors."

John points up toward the front and says. "I guess they used that screen. But it doesn't look like the other screens that we have seen so far."

"Yes, you are right. Maybe the image was projected from the back like the old movie theaters in the mid-21st century."

"Commander, look at this." Tanya said as she looks into the only desk station standing. The three men walk up to her, and she points into the station. "The light of that button is on."

Victor bends closer and reads the label on it, and he says. "Audio recording, um? Could it be a final message from the crew?"

John says. "Press it and let's see it on the screen."

Then John as the others realized something and all commence to look at the station and Alan makes an obvious observation. "Where is the screen? This desk has no screens, except for that one tilted on the floor. This whole base is full of those glass tubes screens and none in this command station."

"Maybe the message will come on in the big screen in front." Tanya said, and Victor presses the button.

The main screen comes on, and a black screen with white letters is displayed. John reads it to say. "Rewinding message?"

Alan says. "I guess someone saw the message and forgot to rewind it. Wait, is the recording system here is not digital?"

The letters change to say "play" then Victor Bergman is seen talking. "What is he saying, no wait… what are you saying?" Alan asked. "I don't know there is no atmosphere here for us to hear the message."

"Victor, upload the message in your suit's computer."

"John, I not even know how. I will have to return to Alpha, research on this tech and come back here with proper equipment."

"Then let's leave. We have seen enough. Later we will return to download that message."

Meanwhile in Alpha's M.C.C. Maya is next to Kano both waiting on the new results of Maya's program to discern what year is it.

Once again the computer is finished and displays the results. "Doctor, this is pointless." Kano said. Maya looks at the year displayed and says. "2021… what is wrong with the computer?"

"Doctor is not the computer, is your program and…" Then suddenly a tremor is felt, and the gravity in the M.C.C. increases. Maya as others hold on to something, and she looks at the helm control station.

With an effort she moves toward it reaching it. She looks at the information displayed and says. "We are being pulled back into Earth's orbit!" Paul asks. "Did someone reverse the Tachyon drive?"

"It is offline!" Maya says and she seats with effort in the helm station. She checks the information saved by the system and again Maya sees the same problem as before. She says out loud. "The thrust ratio loss was more than before, 75%! That is why the E-Collider went on an emergency safety shut down, to avoid a burnout!"

.

Face to Face.

.

John, Victor, Tanya, and Alan are walking back through the abandoned base toward the Eagle, when suddenly. Bright lights take over the hallway, and the dilapidated worn-out surroundings changed into a pristine and brand new look. All is clean and normal gravity is back on. They are in a fully functional Alpha Moon Base.

All four stay still by the unexpected and mysterious happening and Alan says. "What just happen?"

A man and a woman wearing polyester textured Alpha Base uniforms with bell bottom pants walk by them. Victor nods his head toward them in a nervous hello.

Tanya says looking into her information pad on her suit's forearm. "I don't know what happened but there is an atmospheric pressure made of oxygen, nitrogen and small amounts of carbon monoxide and obviously there is power and a one-G Gravity environment." Alan rapidly taps, nervously his Comm-link. "Bill!"

"Yes, Bossman?"

"Is there something wrong out there?" Through the Comm-link a flushing toilet is heard in the background as Bill talks. "Let me look out through the cockpit windows."

"This boy is going to be the death of me." Alan said. John goes to say. "He is out there, let's keep moving to the Eagle."

The group once more walks toward the landing pad when Bill calls. "You are not going to believe this. The whole base is light up, and these funky looking Eagles are taking off from the pad."

"Are they flying toward you?"

"Nope, and I can't tell where they are going."

"We are on our way."

"Yes, Commander."

As they walk through the hallway, around the corner, Helena walks right in front of them, and she stops to say. "John, I thought you were in your office?" John unlocks the helmet visor and raises it. "Ah, I did not hear you."

"I thought you were in your office and I was on my way there. What kind of spacesuits are those?" Helena looks at Tanya's spacesuit and says. "Tanya, yours is different, why is so bulky?"

John replies. "Oh, this, spacesuits… Maya designed them for, Tachyon energy protection."

"Who is Maya?" By now all four have their visors up, and Victor replies. "Oh, she is one of my assistants…ah, Maya Roberts."

"I never heard of her. John, I wanted to tell you that Regina's autopsy is complete."

"Yes… Regina, ah… refresh my memory."

"Regina Kesslann, don't you remember?" Helena looks closer at John's shoulder patch insignia, and she asks. "What is the International Lunar Organization?"

"Okay, ah… go to my office and wait for me there. Let me finish something with them, and then we will talk about the autopsy."

"Okay." Helena walks away, and John waits until she is out of view to say. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Helena arrives at the command center, and for her surprise she sees Victor and John standing next to Paul's station. All are looking at the main screen. "John, what is going on?"

"That third Moon just appeared out of nowhere?"

"Another Moon… no, wait. I meant… I just saw you and Victor in the hallway wearing some strange spacesuits."

"We have been here all this time." Helena turns to Paul and says. "Paul, display the corridor 1-A section 3."

"Yes, Doctor." Paul complies and no one is seen. "The same corridor but look in section 4."

Then four figures in spacesuits are seen walking. John and Victor look, and Paul says. "They look like our spacesuits, but something is different."

"Paul, secure that corridor and send a security team."

"Yes, Commander." John starts to walk away followed by Helena and Victor.

Meanwhile, Alan is about to use once more the pried-bar when Tanya presses the opening button, and the door opens. "All works now." Then the door closes and locks. "What?"

"Stop!" Someone yell behind them, and they turn to see several security guards pointing handheld weapons. "I am Commander Koenig I need access through this door." The guards lower their weapons, and they look at each other confused. "Guards, he is not John Koenig. Arrest them!"

The John of this timeline, said as he walks down the hallway. The four raised their hands and the guards grab them as they stand behind them. John walks up the four and looks at their faces. "You look like me, Victor Bergman our chief pilot Alan Carter and our tech, Tanya Alexander."

"A tech! I bet she serves coffee with a smile to all of you. Commander, I can take all these guys down."

"Calm down Tanya." Then John turns to his counterpart to say. "I am also John Koenig. This will sound odd but we come from a different timeline. We are trying to leave with no harm done."

"Take them to my office, I want a security detail with them at all times." Alan goes to say with surprise. "Wow, the Commander's office. No cavity searches or security isolation."

"We can accommodate all of you in the detention center."

"No, no, your office is fine."

A few minutes later, the group arrives at the command center. The John of this timeline stops and turns to his counterpart to ask. "That third Moon just appeared out of nowhere. Is that where you come from?"

"Yes, that is my Moon and my Alpha Moon Base on it. Can we contact them to let them know we are okay? We can even help each other."

Paul says. "I have tried and no response." Both Victors go to ask in unison. "What frequency did you use?" Both Doctors look at each other as both Johns look down with some apprehension about the whole situation, and John reaches on his spacesuit for the Comm-Link. "Bill."

"Yes, sir."

"Connect me with Alpha."

"Yes, sir."

"Who is that?" The original John asks, and Alan replies. "That is Bill Fraser one of our pilots he is in the Eagle that brought us here."

"Paul."

"Yes, Commander."

"Have our Alan locate that other Eagle."

"Yes, sir." Alan goes to say. "Hey! He is just a kid. He should be back on Earth having fun, getting married and growing old. He never asked to be here."

Paul says. "We never ask you to be in our base." Alan replies. "With this old tech is a miracle you have made it here."

Kano replies. "We have cutting edge technology, here." Alan replies with irritation. "Oh, really… are those lines on the screens on your main computer painted!?"

"Alan, calm down."

"Commander, this is Maya. Are you guys alright?"

"Yes, we are. What is going on up there, why are you still in orbit?"

"We reached the 600,000 miles, and like a slingshot, the Moon return by itself into Earth's orbit after the E-Collider did an automatic emergency shutdown. The system was overwhelmed by a loss of propulsion power. We will restart the Tachyon drive in about 57 more minutes. We are going to intensify the gravity protection to contain the loss this time around. I estimate that in 47 hours those two other Moons will collide."

"Have Doctor Powell restart the drive sooner than 57 minutes and give her all the help she needs with the gravity containment, Koenig out."

"You can move your Moon at will?"

"Yes, we can move at will. Our Moon as us here time travel back I am sure also you must be in contact with the governments of Earth about all this?"

"This is odd talking to myself… okay, we left the Earth's orbit five years ago and ever since we have been traveling through space. The Earth we are orbiting is a desolate wasteland. There are no governments on Earth to help us."

"I was hoping for some extra help, so is only us. Wait, you said a wasteland? When we arrived, the Earth looked like a garden of Eden."

"No Earth governments and no garden of Eden it is just us."

"What is going on?"

"We don't know. But, you mention that you travel back in time, even that you said before that you are from a different timeline?"

"Where can we talk?"

"I guess both of our stories are long. Let's go into my office."

.

Jumping the line again.

.

Close to an hour, both Commanders have exchanged the stories of their odysseys. John looks over the desk of his counterpart and asks. "What is that it looks like a remote control?"

"We call them Comm-Locks. They are both a communications device and a door key with a specific signal identifying the person using it. You don't have this on your Moon?"

"We use Comm-Links, is a small device that we attach to our sleeves. All garments like spacesuits link to it and become part of the communications network, also equipment and even our ships."

"How you secure or open doors?"

"We call it biometrics. The computer can recognize a person even when the person is hiding his face."

"Wow, our computer does not do that. We have a Mark-10 holographic programming processor arranged as a network through Alpha. Do you have something like ours?"

"Ours is linked in a network configuration either connected to other computer systems through a hardline or wireless communication."

"That is about what we have here. How many functions can your computer perform?"

"In my Alpha, our main computer is a Bio-gel, Tri-linear quantum computer capable of four quadrillion calculations per Nano-second. It can retrieve as save information at once when needed from molecule size storages in a Nano-second. All our computers processors and systems are of Bio-gel."

"Wow… Molecule size storages and how many of these storages are in your computer?"

"I have been told that there are as many as the stars in the Universe. The storages are spread out throughout Alpha's computer network. What we call the main computer processor is Alpha itself. The command interface is in our M.C.C."

"M.C.C, you mean your Command Center?"

"Yes."

"You said that you have one main computer?"

"Yes, only one."

"But you said before computers processors in plural?"

"I also meant personal computers."

"Personal computers?"

"Small ones that we use for personal use and as a digital office, they can perform one trillion calculations per Nano-second or at least that is what the box said when I bought mine."

"Your small personal computers perform more calculations than our main computer, and you bought yours. You most get paid more than me."

The two Victors approach the desk and the Victor of this timeline says. "We are sure that by starting their Tachyon engine twice we can avoid the collisions. In the second time they engage their engine they extend a field around our Moon and pull us with them. But when it shuts down by the mysterious reasons it shut down, they will detonate their fissionable materials in a controlled manner to keep the velocity escape given by their Tachyon engine."

"That is the solution you two and Maya came up with to avoid a repeat of our Moon returning into orbit."

Victor goes on to reply. "Maya will engage the Tachyon drive in 20 minutes not only to test if this is possible by using the gravity containment but to gain an early start before the second big attempt if the gravity containment works. The second time we will engage the Tachyon drive at maximum extending a field around this Moon to pull it with us. The motion of this Moon will be slower, but it will be out of the way from the Moon that was first in orbit around the Earth."

John says fairly confused. "So no clue on what pulled our Moon back into Earth's orbit?"

"Maya believes that something was togging on our Moon by holding onto our Tachyon thrust field diminishing the propulsion force returning our Moon into orbit."

Then the John of this timeline says. "You start your Tachyon engine in the next 20 minutes to gain initial speed, it shutdowns to avoid the unknown togging force to restrain your movement." Both Victors reply. "Correct."

"That is the plan."

"On the second time, you then pull our Moon. Once your engine shuts down avoiding the togging force on the Tachyon field, you will duplicate what happened to our Moon by detonating the fissionable material but in a controlled fashion to continue with the motion given by your Tachyon engine. Then my Moon and yours are moved out of the way."

"That is correct, Commander Koenig. We will spread the fissionable containers evenly across the surface on the far side of our Moon to avoid for the detonations to break our Moon apart. Maya will activate the Tachyon drive in the next 20 minutes, and once our Moon commences moving, she will shut it down keeping that slow momentum. The next time she turns it on it will be at full output pulling your Moon. Then the system shuts down, and we will use the charges."

"But you are not… how do you call it, jumping?"

Then John replies at his inquisitive self of this timeline. "No, all will be done by just sub-light speed maneuvering. Pulling your Moon at above the speed of light while we are moving will overwhelm the propulsion system. We do have limits imposed by our energy output and hardware plus this unknown force togging us it could overheat our Tachyon propulsion system."

"I see." John looks at his Comm-Link to see the time and says. "What is our probe picking up on Earth?"

Victor replies. "What all these good people here had said. The Earth now is a wasteland." However, the Victor of this timeline says. "Not exactly accurate, we found an area in the Baja California peninsula that could sustain life. Near a border town named Santa Maria in Mexico."

Alan and Tanya are looking into the command center as the discussion continues by the desk. Tanya sees her counterpart holding a tray with coffee cups and offering them to the center's personnel. "This is just low."

"Tanya, that Tanya here was selected among hundreds of candidates being the best to be here."

"I have not seen her work in any of the stations yet. She walks in and out this M.C.C holding a clipboard, and now she is serving coffee." Alan says. "Actually, she worked on that station next to, their Paul, to relive the guy that is back now there."

"I don't like this."

"Tanya, don't be so hard on her. This Tanya's life is different from yours. You join the German Army, fought in the Euro-War in the German Special Forces Command, then a Cop in Germany and now, you fight aliens again as a soldier. Complaining that this Tanya had it better than that Tanya is not going to change her or you."

As the Tanya from this timeline, it is offering the last cup of coffee to one of the male techs working by the main computer. He grabs the cup but as she turns the tech touches her.

Tanya in her dark grey combat spacesuit commences walking out of the office toward the tech at an intimidating pace. Alan says. "Tanya, wait… Commander, we have trouble."

Both Johns stand and Tanya turns around to say. "Just one moment, I have to fix something." The security guard puts his hand on Tanya to stop her. She grabs his hand, goes on twisting it and pulls him to the floor.

All stand to look and by now Tanya is face to face with the male tech, and she says out loud for all to hear. "If you or any guy here touches any woman in front of me, as you did to her I will kick the living scheisse out all of you."

"Tanya! We are guests here!"

"Yes, sir. I am just showing these ladies about the power of a girl that is all."

Then Tanya walks to the security guard that still on the floor seating and she extends her hand to him. "No hard feelings?"

He extends his good hand, and she pulls the heavy set muscular security guard with ease. "We are good?" She asked.

"The only bruise I have is in my ego been thrown down by a girl." Tanya's face shows her surprise by his statement, then anger and when she is about to give him an ear full. The whole scenario in the command center changes again.

The entire personnel of Alpha control vanish and now the whole place is empty as when the four arrived before. With the exception that there is still an atmosphere, but the lights are out. John looks about and yells. "Everyone grab your helmets!"

They run and lock their helmets to the suit's neck connector, but they keep their visors up. Victor asks. "What just happen?"

"I was going to ask you that?" Alan again calls the Eagle. "Bill."

"You are not going to believe this."

"All changed."

"Yes and our Moon it's at the other side from this one."

"Moving away?"

"I don't know." John calls. "Maya."

"Yes, Commander."

"What just happen?"

"I don't know yet. We activated the Tachyon drive and sooner than expected, it shut down by itself again. We bypass the collisions. Now there are two Moons as when we arrived. We have now 20 days before the two Moons collide. Also, I was running my time program, now it indicates that is the year 2057 and the loss ratio was 98.7%."

"Okay, we are on our way."

"John, the recording." Victor said, and John stops to look at the station from where the last message of Alpha can be played. All walk to the station and Victor presses the play button.

This time they can hear the recording as the alternate Victor Bergman appears in the screen.

"Greetings, I am Doctor Victor Bergman. This message was left behind, for the people of the alternate time Alpha Moon Base. Several hours after you vanished, the time rectified itself as our Moon and the first Moon we encounter already in orbit around the Earth collided sending our Moon back to our original position and to the correct time before we arrived at Earth. Then years later to return to Earth and now you have seen this recording in our abandon Alpha."

Victor in the image pauses looking about and then continues. "A small group of personnel and I are the last ones on this base to never return to Alpha. We have found a placed near the border of the former United States, and Mexico called, Santa Maria in the Baja California peninsula. For all that has happen, we do not have an explanation for or none yet. I hope you do find it. However, you do not belong in this timeline as we did. Perhaps your circumstances are different than ours. I do not know. Our journey is over. Good Luck."

The recording stops as all look at the now dark screen. Alan notices something that no one did before and he points toward the panels under the large central, and he says. "That box over there is on."

The group walks up to the box and Victor goes to say. "It is a locator beacon, is still active." John calls. "Maya."

"Yes, sir."

"Are you receiving any signals from this base?"

"Yes, it is an intermittent signal. It is a marker signal."

"Okay, thank you. We might have to go to Earth to check something out."

"Sir, the sensor readings of the Earth still showing a desolate wasteland, although radiation levels have dropped there is no place to go."

"Is our probe still in orbit around the Earth?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have it fly over the Baja California Peninsula and look in the database for a place called Santa Maria. That is where we are headed now."

"Not to Alpha?"

"Afterwards we will. We are going to find someone that most probably has been working to solve our problem."

"Who?"

"Victor Bergman."

.

Santa Maria.

.

The Eagle is in geosynchronous orbit over Santa Maria. Victor is reading the sensors data. While John is holding a cup of coffee deep in his thoughts, surprisingly Tanya pours more coffee in his cup. He looks at her and says as he smiles. "I thought you were against serving coffee."

"I have my moments. But, don't take it to your head, sir."

"I will not. Thank you."

Tanya walks to the back as Alan enters the pod from the front and he points at Tanya as he looks at John to say. "Was up with that?"

"She has her moments, but don't ask her for coffee."

"Neither for a sandwich and that is for sure."

"What you came to tell me?"

"Sir, I am concern that if we land the winds at 25,000 feet are a bit strong."

"I have never known you to shy away from some wind."

"It is going to be jumpy. I don't want you to spill your coffee."

Victor approaches John and Alan as he is looking into his E-Pad. "The probe and the sensors on the Eagle concurred that the environment in a 500 miles radius from Santa Maria is adequate for a settlement."

"Have you detected any dwellings?"

Victor scrolls the information in his E-Pad and shows it to John. "There are clusters of them here and each cluster is separated in intervals of 10 miles. I see what it could be crops around the clusters, so they have water." John grabs the E-Pad and looks. Then he gives it to Alan. "I want you to land near the central cluster of dwellings."

"I am on it."

"I need my pad back."

"Sorry Doctor." Alan walks to the cockpit, and Victor asks John. "You think he could be there?"

"I hope so and with some answers."

"I would have kept studying the phenomena."

"That is why I am counting on you."

"Maya reported on the progress of the charges?"

John answers. "Yes, they are 95% completed on placing the charges. Even Gorski's people are helping. Edward and Tony are keeping an eye on him."

"What about the E-Collider?"

"Carolyn reported that there is nothing wrong with it. She said, and Maya agrees with Carolyn, that the Tachyons are being prevented from becoming a propulsion force seconds after the Tachyon drive is engaged. Some kind of energy is exerting force on the propulsion field doing this and pulling us into orbit."

"Maya says that we would need to draw more Tachyons into our realm to compensate for the dragging force as to propel the Moon faster. Still, we can move the Moon as it is, in a big but short burst and then detonate the redesign fission materials containers."

"How is possible that the Tachyons are being stopped to become a propulsion force and what pulled the Moon back in orbit?"

"Maya and Carolyn don't know."

"Um? There is a possible solution that I am hesitant to try, but we might have to use it to move the Moon faster."

"To use Gorski's weapon to attract more Tachyons into our realm, is that what you are thinking?"

"Edward agrees on that, by Maya's calculations. The charges to work need the Moon to be moving by the Tachyon drive. Shutdown the E-Collider and detonate the charges."

Then Tanya who has been listening asks. "Excuse me gentlemen, I am not a scientist but a good hobbyist mechanic in old combustion engines. It sounds to me as if the more you press on the accelerator the motorcar goes slower, is that the problem?"

Victor smiles and then replies. "Your analogy is correct. Maya says that our problem is the ratio of Tachyons taken and then directed as a propulsion force. She says that out the 100% of Tachyons we take as fuel. Only 10% manage to push the Moon as propulsion."

John adds. "The pedal is to the metal and all we get is 5 miles per hour or less."

"I see 8 kilometers per hour, so it is as if the motorcar is been driven over thick mud. So what is the mud?"

"We don't know yet." Victor replied.

The Eagle's engines fire and a descending movement it is felt. Then Alan's voice is heard over the speakers. "Put your seatbelts on. It is going to get choppy."

The Eagle entered the atmosphere and closed to the 25,000 feet mark the Eagle commences to move and vibrate violently. Alan and Bill compensate against the winds as the ship sways from side to side on its X-axis.

Tanya opens her Comm-Link and says. "Alan, if we die… I am going to kick your ass."

"Hey… could you bring me some coffee."

"Uff, ich tritt dir trotzdem in den Arsch!"

"Stop! Both of you!" Victor said in anger been nervous by the turbulent descend, and both sides go silent when John turns to Victor to say. "You forgot to say, or I will turn this Eagle around."

"Children… all but children." Victor replied still unnerved by the Eagle's strong, erratic movements.

Meanwhile, in Alpha, Maya and Edward Straker are in the landing pad two, reception area. Tony is standing several feet behind them with a complement of security personnel. The guards as Tony are in full armor combat spacesuits all waiting for the hatch to open.

The doors open and Anton Gorski is standing in the connector tube. "Hey, did all of you miss me? Oh, I see you are here as well Mr. Rich guy. You have some expensive toys on that private base of yours."

"Some of those toys are out and about, and you have no clue where they are at. Can we have this meeting?"

"I am here but where is John?" Maya answers. "He is not here. I am in charge."

"You? It should be Paul in command when John is not around. Why he put an alien in charge?" Tony steps forward and says. "Hey!"

"I am sorry, yes let's talk about my weapon." Edward goes to ask. "What makes you think that?"

"I have eyes and ears all over this place." Gorski extends his arm pointing down the hallway and says. "Shall we talk or we stand here looking at our faces?"

"You know the way to the office." Maya said. "Yes, I do."

The Eagle reaches calmer weather conditions and approaches the settlement. At 500 feet Alan circles the encampment and finds an area to land.

The Eagle finally rest on the ground, and the two pilots, shut down the engines as the passengers stand by the hatch. "Are you taking that spacesuit off?" Victor asked Tanya. "How good of a security officer I would be if I leave it behind."

"That is okay, then." John said as Alan and Bill walk up to them. "Sir, can I go this time?"

"Stay in the Eagle, so do you, Alan."

"You think there will be trouble and we might need a quick escape?"

"No, I don't think so. We only came to speak with one person."

"Okay." John opens the hatch, and the gangplank extends. Victor, Tanya, and John walk down, and the hatch closes.

"What now?" Victor asked. "We wait, I am sure they saw us landing."

A few minutes later, a group approaches from the direction of the small town. The group stops several meters out, but one woman with long silver hair continues walking toward the Eagle. She stops and says. "Commander?"

"I am not the John Koenig that you knew."

"I know you are the alternate timeline, John Koenig?"

"How did you know?"

"Your Eagle design is different from ours, plus I knew of your visit so many years ago in my Alpha."

"I guess that would be a giveaway."

"Victor said that you might come, but he was not sure."

"Sandra?"

"Yes, Professor Bergman I am Sandra Benes."

"We came to speak with your Doctor Bergman."

"Commander… ah, you all better follow me."

The three new arrivals follow Sandra. As they walk, they see young adults, but they are unfamiliar to John. Some of the women are carrying a baby, or a toddler other children hide behind an adult. Sandra is not walking toward the town but to one side several meters out.

There is a plot of land surrounded by a makeshift fence. In the plot there are over twenty wood markers, and Sandra says. "He is in there. Also my husband Paul, Doctor Russell, Kano and others that you might or might not know from your timeline."

John goes to ask an odd question to Sandra. "Have you ever met, Maya?"

"Never." Victor inquires John about his question. "Why ask for Maya?"

"She has been with us since the start. Do you remember when we encounter Helena in the alternate Alpha, on the hallway?"

"Oh, yes. Helena never heard of Maya." Sandra goes on asking. "Why is this Maya so important?"

"I don't know yet. Can Doctor Bergman and I look at any documents that your Victor might have left about?"

"I have them all in my place come with me."

They follow Sandra to the town, and they see a mixed of Eagle's pods used as residences as makeshift dome shape metallic dwellings. There are water tanks over each home, and the cooking it is done outside the dwellings. The people have stopped on doing their daily routine to look at the new arrivals from another time, another place.

They arrived at one of the metallic dome dwellings. There is a small garden in front and several containers of water. Tanya stops and says. "I will wait for you both here."

"Okay." Said John as him, Victor and Sandra walk in.

Tanya looks about and sees how slowly the curious people return to their routines. Then she hears a female voice behind her saying. "Why, you always wear that spacesuit?"

Tanya turns to see her timeline counterpart standing next to her holding the hand of a little girl. "You… you are me?"

"Yes, bit older and a bit wiser. This is my granddaughter Felicia. She wanted to see the lady from the stars."

Tanya is flabbergasted by the revelation and looks at the little girl as the young one smiles missing some of her baby teeth and she says. "Hello, star lady."

"Hello, how are you?"

"Good."

"Now go to your mom, will play later."

"Okay, Oma. Bye star lady."

"Goodbye."

Now the two women are silent for just a moment, and Tanya asks. "Who did you married?"

"That guy that you threaten for touching me. He changed from that day on, actually all changed. What did you call it, the power of a girl?"

"Wow, all that happened to me, not more than two hours ago."

"What is your job in your Alpha?"

"I am a security officer."

"My father was a policeman, and I always wanted to be a policewoman. I even wanted to join the Army."

"Why you could not?"

"The global war, during the 1980s and so on changed my mind. I wanted to help people after all that."

"We had several wars after the 1980s. I was in the last war in 2089 as a soldier in the German Army. I became a police officer, and later I moved to the Moon and became a security officer."

"Wait, you said 2089? What year your Moon left Earth's orbit?"

"In 2099, we have been traveling in space for the past five years."

"Tell me how it happened?"

Inside Sandra's home, John and Victor are seating behind a desk reading all the notes from Professor Bergman that Sandra has kept. Sandra recounts what happened when she and the other settlers saw the second Moon appeared and a John Koenig from the past arrived with Alan Carter and Helena Russell.

But part of her story is that the two Moons crashed leaving one behind. She does remember the visit to her Alpha of John, Victor, Tanya and Alan coinciding with the time frame of the collision.

John asks her. "Why your Commander Koenig never activated the Exodus protocol, he would have never known the outcome of the collision?"

"He left Alpha with Alan and Doctor Russell to find any survivors on Earth, here in Santa Maria. Months later in Alpha, I found out through Doctor Russell that Professor Bergman living in Santa Maria at that time told the Commander that time would rectify itself."

"By keeping all personnel in your Alpha and colliding with the other Moon already in orbit."

"Professor Bergman knew because it happened when he was in Alpha the first time but not the why and how it happened."

"John, look at this entry in his journal." Victor passes the old journal, and John reads it, and then he says. "These are astronomical coordinates of the path traveled of their Moon, but he marked this one."

"Yes, yes… look in my E-Pad, look." John reads on the E-pad and then into the journal. "Is this possible?"

Sandra asks. "What… what did you find?"

Victor goes to say. "Before we arrived in the Solar System we had to do a blind jump the coordinates marked by your Victor are the same ones from where we jump to arrive here… wow talking about quantum entanglement."

"I don't understand what jump are you talking about?"

John replies. "I don't know if you are aware that we can control the movements of our Moon. We called it jumping to travel faster than the speed of light. It has its limitations, and we can't just jump to our Solar System in one single jump."

"I heard Professor Bergman mentioning that. How it relates to this situation?"

Victor explains to Sandra. "In our last jump, we somehow entangle our Moon with yours on the coordinates that coincide with the coordinates from where your Moon was pulled here. This encounter caused your Moon as ours to arrive at Earth for us now and for you so many years ago."

"Wait, you are telling me that, you hooked and dragged my Moon to bring us here the first time." Victor replies. "Yes, that is what happened. However the interaction of your Moon with ours also made us arrive here. You see, both Moon exchange by entanglement, energy."

"I remember Doctor Russell saying that she saw a second Moon splitting away from our Moon while we were in Alpha when all this started. Then… it was not an image of my Moon. It was your Moon passing by through us."

"Somehow, your Moon entered in the wake of our F.T.L tunnel, and because we got entangled, we pull each other as magnets."

John shakes his head slightly as trying to understand something. "Okay, that is what happened for both Moons to be here. But what returned Sandra's Moon to where we pull them the first time she was here?'

Victor answers. "Some form of power is trying to fix this mess. My counterpart concluded that time is trying to fix itself but really that it is a blank explanation, him and me we do not know for sure. However, it makes sense that the Tachyons output for propulsions it is being redirected by this interaction."

"Redirected to where?"

"I do not know yet, but that could be the explanation on what it is happening."

"We find the reason, and then we can jump."

"I am sure that we will solve our predicament but John, if we jump where do we go afterward? We will still trap in this timeline."

"We will find a place out there for us to live. But then why the Moons have to collide?"

"I don't know." Sandra goes to say. "I remember when I was in Alpha and when the Commander arrived at Santa Maria on those two occasions the Moon that was first always glowed as now. Would that help?"

John and Victor look at each other, then to Sandra and John asks. "What glow?"

"Come and look." All three walk out of the dwelling and even that it is dusk. Both Moons are seen on opposite sides of the horizon. John and Victor look up, and Victor says. "She is right, that Moon has a faint glow."

"Remember what Maya told us in my office?"

"She could see a faint glow we could not see."

"As they get closer it will brighten." Sandra said.

"What are you looking at?" Tanya asked, and John answers. "That Moon toward the east glows."

"Oh, that. It must be ice crystals at a high altitude." Victor replies. "How can ice crystal form and stay with all the wind up there also why our Moon does not have that glow."

"How can you tell them apart from here?" John opens his Comm-Link. "Alan."

"Yes, sir."

"Which of the two Moons is ours, the one on the east or the one on the west?"

"It should be… the one over the western horizon. Why?"

"I will tell you later, Koenig out." Then in a puzzled tone and demeanor, Victor says. "That Moon… um? Why is Sandra's Moon glowing?"

John asks. "Could this have to do with our Tachyon drive?" Tanya says. "It is like they are attracting each other."

Victor turns to her, and he has an epiphany by her observation. "That is it. Both Moons are attracted to each other. They are still entangled as the opposite poles of a magnet."

"They entangle, by just crossing paths?" John asked.

"Yes, John that is how it happened. We saturated our Moon for the past five years with Tachyons. Even when we do not jump, we have the protective shield and the maneuvering system always on. That glow is residual energy from all the output of Tachyons we have used, and we pass it to Sandra's Moon when we cross paths. That is the same Moon we tangled with although many years have passed it still holds our energy."

"We gave them our Tachyons?" Tanya asked.

"Yes, we did. That energy needs to go somewhere, and it went somewhere, to this timeline's Moon."

John says. "That glow is our Tachyon system transferring energy to the other Moon?"

"Yes, yes… the Tachyons are going into that Moon through quantum space. Because Sandra's Moon does not have the hardware, that we have to channel the energy into motion it just accumulates on her Moon."

Sandra goes to ask with some confusion. "Wait, hold on. How the first time while I was in Alpha my Moon returned to its original space and time by the collision or the energy you both are talking about?"

Victor answers. "By a transfer of energy, not a collision and I realize now that they never collided, they not even touched. They swap energy, and in that energy, it was passed all that it was before you arrive here, by us dragging each other's Moons. That is how you return to the point where we entangle light years away."

Victor turns to John and continues. "Do you remember five years ago, that civilization that needed our Moon to collide with their planet for them to ascend into a higher plane?"

"Yes I remember, the Atherians." Then Sandra says. "That happened to us as well."

"Their sentient energy as the energy of their planet went to wherever they were going. We need for the two Moons to interact as our Moon interacted with the planet of the Atherians. But this time it will be us leaving to our timeline."

John says. "The timelines are trying to rectify themselves by all this."

"For what we have seen so far, the events with regards to this timeline had happened as they should in the correct sequence. Now is our turn to leave."

"That is why Maya's time program is not giving an accurate year. Time is in flux, it has not settled, and we move back and forth in time. Until we receive the Tachyon energy from the other Moon so we can jump into our timeline."

"Exactly." Tanya asks. "How come, the E-collider worked until the Moon was pulled again into orbit and on the second try it worked for just a few seconds?"

Victor thinks about it and replies. "I think that the E-Collider shutdown both times because the other Moon was pulling our Tachyons and the E-Collider could not handle the output force as Maya told us. The E-Collider was overheating."

"The computers detected a system overheat and not this energy transfer."

"John, all this happen at a quantum level. The computers can't detect this whole situation as we do now to enact an automatic emergency shutdown based on quantum entanglement. We sent our propulsion energy to the other Moon and this added energetic mass on the other Moon for our Moon to be pulled back by entanglement."

Tanya asks Victor again. "That explains one half. But why are we traveling in time?"

Victor passes his hand over his head as he thinks what to reply. "The connection to all this hinges on the Tachyon drive output been tangled with the other Moon and why we are in a different timeline, to begin with, moving in time in it. I do not know."

Victor pauses as he thinks and in a self-defeating tone replies. "I still don't know what the physical mechanics that my timeline counterpart refers to as time is rectifying itself are."

"Well, I came to Santa Maria to speak with Victor Bergman to solve this, and I just did." John said when he looks at the time on his Comm-link and says. "Talking about time, we have time for something else." Victor asks. "Time for what else?"

John turns to Sandra to say. "I do not know if once we leave, if all we leave behind will return with us or not. I am going to order to bring provisions, medical supplies, and tools. Anything you need that will increase your chances of survival. We even have pigs."

"That will help us a lot. You are as much my Commander Koenig as mine was to me. Thank you, sir."

.

The cards on the table.

.

In John's office, Maya, Edward, and Gorski are talking about Gorski's I.G.A weapon. They have reached an impasse with regards to some concessions that Gorski is seeking from Edward Straker. Maya, has become an intermediary between the two men.

"Mr. Straker all I am asking is to know where all your vehicles are at all times. We track Alpha's land and space vehicles. Why not yours?"

"Because they are built that way so no one can see them coming. Not even Alpha can track them, and Commander Koenig has never asked me for Alpha to track any of my vehicles."

Then Maya says. "Mr. Gorski, we need your I.G.A for all of us to leave this orbit. You know that in 19 days and 12 hours from now our Moon will collide with the other Moon."

"Dr. Roberts, my people are getting ready to leave this Moon before that happens."

Straker says in an unnerved tone. "Are you insane!? Go where on Earth? If the Moons collide, there will be no Earth left."

"We are going to Mars. I have the people, the equipment and the ships to do it. We have been ready for a long time to leave this Moon in the first suitable planet we would come across."

"You have?"

"Yes, Doctor Roberts, we have been ready for that. Now, you want to use my weapon give me what I want, and we all stay here."

"Why not just leave now and let us have your weapon?"

"No Mr. Straker, that weapon comes with us. You two may not like to see it the way I see things on this Moon, but we are all sovereign and independent political systems, separate from one and another."

"King Gorski."

"You may laugh Mr. Straker but I and my people that I represent in this discussion we are being marginalized. You all fly your ships whenever you want over Mare Tranquillitatis without even asking permission. We jump here or there without us having a say on it, and when you get in trouble like the last time, you come looking for me. Right now, my people are working alongside your people to set those nukes on the far side. I swear, before we leave to Mars I will blow my weapon and have you both solve your problem alone."

"This is the Moon, for crying out loud! Not Earth with its political divisions and if you want to leave then leave. Mars is right there." Edward said in anger as Maya slowly but firmly puts her hand on the table to break the tension. "Gentlemen, please. We don't like Gorski's people flying over Alpha or over your base, Mr. Straker. Perhaps Mr. Gorski's request on tracking your ships is a symptom of something deeper."

"Like what?"

"Mistrust."

Edward leans backward and points to Gorski to say. "He murdered the entire crew of the Space Station Antares. If he were to find convenient with an opportunity to destroy Alpha and my Base he would do it. I would call that profound mistrust from our part toward him!"

Then Paul's voice is heard through Maya's Comm-Link. "Doctor Roberts."

"Yes, Paul?"

"The Commander is on his way, and he ordered to prepare supplies to be taken to Earth." Gorski says. "Supplies? Did he found a place on that dump of a planet to settle?"

"Shhh, let me talk… Paul what kind of supplies?"

"I have the list here. The surprising thing is that Sandra requested them."

"Sandra… our Sandra?"

"That is what it sounded like. The Commander will be here in the next 20 minutes."

"Okay, thank you, Paul." Then Maya turns to her guests, and she says. "I am sure the Commander will want to continue this. Let's wait for him."

Twenty minutes go by, and Eagle one is in the lower hangar of landing pad one. John, Victor, and Alan come out of the Eagle as Bill gets ready to perform the pre-flight turnaround inspection of the craft. John turns to Alan. "I want this Eagle ready in one hour."

"Yes, sir."

"One moment, Commander." A female voice said, and the three turned to see. A young blond hair woman, wearing a hangar crew's yellow and orange uniform walks up to them. They see stenciled on her vest in large letters the word Hangar Boss. "Excuse me Commander, but this Eagle is grounded."

Alan replies annoyed by her statement. "Grounded!? This is Eagle one, the Commander's bird."

She looks in her E-Pad, and she says. "Eagle one, two or five hundred, those are designations given to the Eagles from the M.C.C. That over there is an Eagle space/atmospheric craft, built by Dalotek Corp and Dalotek gave it the permanent flight vehicle identification number, E-2358794, and that number is what I go by. In my maintenance log, it says that it is overdue for a 9,000 hours maintenance check. That bird is in my hangar and now is my bird, not the Commander's bird."

Alan continues to argue this losing battle. John sees the name tag of the Hangar Boss, his eyes open wide and he asks. "Excuse me Boss Kesslann. Where were you assigned before?"

"Landing pad 15, I was reassigned by Ms. Benes yesterday to work in pad one."

"Is your full name, Regina Kesslann?"

"Yes sir and I will do the maintenance check on this bird." John looks at Alan and says. "Get another Eagle and have it ready in one hour."

"Yes, sir." Alan turns still annoyed toward the flight deck office, and Regina signals her crew to commence the maintenance on the Eagle.

John turns around to see Victor's face in astonishment as he points at Regina and he says. "Is that… the name the alternate Helena said?"

"The woman of the autopsy, our Hangar Boss is her." The two commence to walk, and Victor says. "Incredible, each person on this Moon has a counterpart in the other Alpha but not necessarily performing the same duties."

"Victor, I don't think so per say. How do we know the other Regina was or was not a Hangar Boss?"

"She could have been, but we don't know."

"Exactly. The other Alpha was smaller with less personnel compare to ours. So there are people on our Moon that do not have a counterpart on the other Alpha."

"Like Maya."

"That is a good example." Both exit the hangar area into the main hallway and John says. "I have to go to my office."

"I have to go to my lab."

"You are going to check on why time is rectifying all this?"

"I will get with you when I find a solution about that and how to prevent the Tachyons from moving into the other Moon. You still have to deal with Gorski in your office."

"Don't remind me."

John and Victor arrive at the Tram-Tube terminal both are headed to the large command section of the base. John is going to the M.C.C and Victor to the science department. One of the Trams arrives as people come out they both enter.

Both seat and continue talking until Victor has to get off and John continues to the next station alone. The Tram stops, and as the doors, open John walks toward them expecting to pass when the doors are fully accessible.

Then John is in a vast white lighted expanse. He turns, and the Tram is gone, all of Alpha is gone. Now he is surrounded by nothing but a bright light. There is neither a horizon nor any distinguishable features, all that he feels is a hard floor, but he sees none.

"John." A soft female voice says, and he turns to see a tall young woman approaching him. She is wearing a long white bright gown, she moves without moving her legs, and she asks. "John, don't you remember me?"

"Queen Arra? I thought your people left this plane of existence?"

"Yes John, I am Queen Arra. I have come to speak with you, and I have chosen this form for this occasion."

"Do you know what is happening to us on our Moon?"

"Yes. Among all the timelines there are only two timelines where my planet was touched by your Moon and the other Moon. Since that encounter both Moons were entangled to be one in each of their realms of time."

"Your planet or two planets of your people were touched respectively by my Moon and the other John's Moon?"

"Our physical state at the time of our encounter, allowed myself, my people and our planet to transcend all barriers to be in all timelines at once. When your Moon touched us also the other Moon touched us."

"You and your people were present in all the timelines at once, and both Moons pushed you into a higher plane?"

"Yes, we all were one and since that day forward, the two Moons join. Your Moon has been pulling the other Moon along. Until finally, both Moons touched through the barrier of time coming here as you have seen."

"So since we encountered you, my Moon has been entangled with the other. How can that connection be broken?"

"It will never be broken unless they touch."

"I would like to avoid that."

"You are fighting with a certain fact, an event that must take place. The other past Moon of this timeline touched the image Moon that yours has to touch now. Those Moons are two in one, and both left but they still here waiting for you."

"I… I, do not understand?"

"You will as you look through it. However, the journey of the others has not ended they will continue in a different path, and soon it will change as they approach the encounter with Maya."

"Maya? Maya has no counterpart on the other Alpha?"

"Do not be concerned with that because the universe is vast and full of paths. You must continue your present path. Allow your Moon and the mirror Moon you see in this timeline to touch. The other Moon changed in their way to Maya and their destiny is not yours."

"I know that my Moon has to come in contact with the other as it happened with your planet and us. But is there a way to avoid a collision, you called it a touch as if something minor."

"People will oppose the joining with the mirror Moon and a way will be found that your energy from afar will be transfer to your Moon."

"Arra, those are good news we can avoid a collision."

"If that happens, the mirror Moon will close, and you will never reach your final destination. You will take and not give. Your Moon will be paralyzed in the void among the galaxies in this timeline. The exchange has to take place in equal parts, and that is a universal law."

"Equal exchange as in E=Mc2?"

"Yes that is a simplification of the universal law of equal exchange keeping the universal equilibrium. That is what your good friend Victor is missing. He is looking for a solution in the physical mechanics of creation."

"Creation? You mean God?"

"The all of the existence extends beyond the physical realm, and there is the answer to what your friend seeks. But your solution is simple and right in front of you."

"Colliding will send us home?"

"Yes, John. The mirror Moon is the gateway kept open by your energy from your engine."

"I don't understand what gate and why will be paralyzed in the void?"

"You do understand. You will and always did. Out of gratitude for your help, we are helping you now by this conversation. Goodbye John."

"Wait! At least give me some proof of what you just told me. The last time I had to wrestle with my friend Alan to keep the nuclear charges from going off on your planet."

"When you speak with them, they will vanish as their future changes as they approach Maya. The other Moon will become the gateway you must reach. But first, you must face the ones searching for Maya. The path is not always the one you think it is before you and Ma'ayan will shelter you. Ask you this question. What made you come here?"

"I don't know… you did?"

"Once you answer that question you will know what to reshape to reach your destination. Maya is the answer for them. Maya is the answer for you and Ma'ayan your guide. Good Bye, John Koenig."

Then John is walking inside the Tram as the doors continue to open. He walks into the Tram station area of the M.C.C. He slowly walks looking about, still confused about what just happened. To his recollection, the conversation with Arra took at least 5 minutes, but in reality, it took the time that anyone would take a step. John taps his Comm-link. "Paul."

"Yes, sir."

"Are the supplies been loaded?"

"Yes, sir, all as you ordered on your list."

"Add to that list a portable Exo-Comm transceiver with a video link."

"Yes, sir."

"Maya."

"Yes, Commander."

"Is Edward and Gorski about to fist fight?"

"I am thinking on turning on a silverback gorilla to keep them apart… soon."

"I will be there in one minute."

"Yes, sir."

"Victor."

"Yes, John."

"Have you at any moment, contemplated somehow obtaining our Tachyons from the other Moon at a distance?"

"How? Yes, I was running some figures about that."

"How would you go about doing that?"

"You are not going to like it."

"I am sure it has to do with Gorski's weapon. I am assuming using the ray fired from the weapon as a lightning rod."

"Actually, yes… how did…?" "Stop that and don't say a thing about it. Oh, and by the way, I think you would have to be a Theologian to find the reason on why time is rectifying all this mess."

"Ah… okay… I really don't see how religion fits in all this?"

"Never mind, just come to my office."

"On my way."

"Well, you call everyone but your wife." Helena said as she catches up with John on the hallway.

"The best one for last." John replied as he smiles to his wife trying to amend his forgetfulness, but Helena is not buying it and replies. "You will do better than that, but later. What is going on?"

"You remember Queen Arra?"

"The Queen of Atheria, the ones that had to ascend by crashing with our Moon?"

"The one, she spoke to me not more than five minutes ago."

"Here!? What did she tell you and how?"

.

All in or nothing to gain.

.

Victor is turning off his workstation and stands to look about. One of the techs that work on the science department, Jim Haines is nearby and see the, sometimes distracted Nobel Laureate searching about the young man goes to say as he points. "Doctor Bergman, behind you, your E-Pad is on that station."

"Thank you, Jimmy."

"You are welcome." Victor grabs the pad and leaves, leaving Jimmy alone. Few seconds go by, and Jim looks about as he stands. He grabs his E-Pad and walks to Victor's workstation.

He makes a wireless connection to Victor's workstation and using Victor's code that at some moment he left unprotected, Jim opens Victor's interface and downloads what Victor was working on before he left.

Jim turns off Victor's interface and the digital thief returns to his workstation. Jim reads the information, and he then makes a call through his Comm-Link.

"What is it?" A female voice asked. "I have Pizza in my place, tonight."

"What kind?"

"The one you like, Pepperoni and double cheese."

"Okay, send me an E-mail about it."

"Here it goes."

In Tranquility Base, one of the techs approaches Natasha in the Command Center. "Ma'am, Jimmy came through with another message." The tech gives an E-Pad to her, and she reads it. "Um, a lightning rod… this is interesting. Give this to Ronald and his eggheads, have them figure this out. I will call Anton about it."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Meanwhile, John is already in his office, now involved in the meeting. "… And that is what Arra told me."

Gorski and Straker are quiet thinking on what John has said about all he has gone through since he left Alpha. Maya who is now standing away from the desk asks. "Why they have to change before… they find my counterpart?"

"I don't know Maya." Gorski says. "I don't care about them, I care about us. This Queen, how reliable is she and why she wants to help us?"

"Arra and her people are helping out of gratitude for helping them ascend."

"Bah, ascend! Does a human speak with ants after receiving a job promotion? The only thing I believe from her is that all this is her fault."

Edward says. "John, in 19 days this Moon will collide with the other Moon. We have to find a way to make the E-Collider work and leave. There are many Exo-planets in our database that are good candidates for us to colonize."

"Victor goes on to answer." Mr. Straker, every time we engage the Tachyon Drive, that energy goes to the other Moon through the quantum realm. Once our Moon and the other are close enough there will be a physical exchanged. We will have the E-Collider running ready to receive our energy to activate the Tachyon Drive and leave."

Gorski goes to say in an irritated tone as he points to John. "But he said, that the bitch Queen said that the two Moons have to touch, meaning crashing. During that crash, there will be all kind of tremors, and that could shut down the E-Collider under its automatic safety protocols, and we crash… all hands lost."

"All the two Moons have to do is to touch that is all." John said, and Gorski stands to lean on the table to say. "Where this, touched will occur?" Victor answers. "Near our equator."

Then Gorski seats back down and with a sarcastic tone replies. "Oh, near the equator, okay. There is a reason why the E-Collider is called The Lunar Equatorial Accelerator because it is on the equator."

"Nothing will happen to the E-Collider."

"John you don't know that. The E-Collider breaks during that touch of yours, we are done for."

"Gorski, all will happen as it happened with the Atherians. We will leave this timeline to ours. And Edward, in our database we have information about Exo-planets from our timeline not of this one."

"John, I know you for so many years. Even my father was looking forward for you to help me run some aspects of Dalotek Corp. The Atherians moved out of our way because that is what they wanted. But the other Moon no one controls it to move out of our way."

"Edward, I am convinced this is the only way."

"Apparently not, I was told by Maya that all we needed is to fired Gorski's weapon up into space and bring Tachyons into our realm. So we can leave. Now you want us to do nothing. This conversation has changed dramatically from the time I came here to now."

"Why the hell, no one told me that my weapon could do this!? I'll have my people get it ready in one hour." John stands leaning on the table and says in a serious assertive tone. "Gorski, if that cargo vehicle moves that weapon out of that mine I will blow it away."

"How do you know is in a mine?" Edward answers. "Remember my expensive toys. I have two ready to cave-in that mine."

"If you have not blown it up is because you need my weapon." Gorski turns to Edward and asks. "Now, Mr. Straker… do you agree with your old friend or with me." Edward crosses his arms and looks down to say. "I don't know."

"Edward, I found no reason to mistrust what Arra told me."

"But John, if you tell me that this, collision is to happen on one of the poles of the Moon. I would be less concern, but Gorski has a point. What if, the E-Collider gets damage before we can jump? It is not as if we could somehow bring that Tachyon energy to us from afar once we are in a line of sight of the other Moon. The only practical solution I see is to fire Gorski's weapon."

"I am glad, you agree with me."

"I don't agree with you, Gorski. I am basing my opinion on the available facts, not you."

"Then you agree with me."

"I don't…I really don't… I better stay quiet." Gorski says. "I can move my weapon out of that mine, but even if I fired it, the E-Collider would be off to receive the Tachyons. John, we need to agree on this."

"No, you will not do that."

"You are in charge of Alpha not of my people or me. We need the E-Collider to be running for my weapon to work. And we all leave away from this predicament." Then Gorski's Comm-Link receives a call. He looks at it and says. "Excuse me. This is an important call." He stands and walks to the far side of the office to talk in private. Then John turns to Edward and says. "We are all in on this one or not at all."

"John, if you give assurances base on facts that the E-Collider will not be damage I am all in. Heck, even what you told us about that Queen I will be more in your side than what I am now."

"You are not going to side with Gorski?"

"I hate saying this, but Mars looks like a better option." Gorski returns standing by the table, and he says. "Ladies, gentlemen I have to return to Tranquility Base. I am needed it there." John stands and says. "You are not moving that weapon out of that mine."

"I am not until your friend here moves his toys, and you turn on the E-Collider to move the Moon. This fantasy from that Queen is not what I came to talk about. You put on the table hard fact evidence and then we will talk."

Then John goes to say. "Evidence, I will give you evidence." John uses his Comm-Link. "Paul."

"Yes, sir."

"Have Jackie contact Alan on the surface and pass the fee in my office."

"Yes, sir." John grabs the office remote and opens the large screen on the wall. Jackie's voice is heard. "Sir, the fee is active."

On the screen Alan is seen and next to him is the older Sandra, in the background is the town. Alpha personnel are unloading boxes of supplies and equipment from the Eagles helped by the town's people. The elderly Sandra says. "Commander, thank you so much for all this especially the medical supplies and the seeds."

"And the pigs."

"Yes, sir and…" Slowly Sandra, the structures as the people disappear. Alan looks in dismay the vanishing of Sandra. Once she is gone, he turns to see only the supply boxes the Alpha personnel and the Eagles. The new town of Santa Maria is gone. "Commander… did you saw that! Tell me you saw that."

"Alan, fly over the other towns. If you don't see any villagers, packed up and return."

"Yes, sir." Alan terminates the transmission and John turns to the rest in his office. Helena says dumbfounded. "When you speak with them, they will vanish as their future changes as they approach Maya." Helena turns to see Maya who is as astonished as her. Victor says. "What happened to them?"

John replies. "Exactly as Arra told me it would happen. Those people futures changed and never came to Earth. But more has to happen and that is up to us." Victor opens his E-Pad and connects with the main computer. He looks and says. "The future of those people has changed, why their Moon still here?"

"Okay, they vanished, so the Queen said that would happen. How is that changing our predicament?" Gorski said, and Edward says. "I am convinced, but my concern is where exactly the two Moons will come in contact. If the E-Collider is damage, we will not survive the crash."

"Victor, can you and Maya locate that impact point. I am sure the E-Collider will not be damaged, and it will work." John said, and Victor replies. "Okay, I will find it."

"Well, I have to leave to Tranquility base. I will stay, in touch." Gorski commences to walk out Tony, and the security detail has been waiting outside the office. They move toward the office entrance to escort Gorski to the landing pad.

"John, what now?"

"Victor, we wait for the landing party to return from Earth but what I want to know as Edward is where the Moons will make contact."

"What, if any part of the E-Collider will be crushed by the Moons touching?"

"We have several tons of nuclear explosives rigged to detonate on the far side. I am sure we can change the alignment detonating some or all to tilt our Moon. Just in case the E-Collider is in danger to be crushed, we have that option."

Once Gorski is in midflight to Tranquility Base he calls Natasha. "Okay, now we can talk. What was that about a lightning rod effect?"

"Bergman was working on a way to bring to us the Tachyon energy from the other Moon at a distance."

"Using the weapon?"

"Yes, Ronald figured it out. The whole process is around reversing the polarity of the ray. Once you arrive, he will explain it to you in detail."

"But the weapon is in the mine. How can we move it without John and rich kid finding out?"

"In 5 hours from now, the mine will be in direct alignment with part of the other Moon's eastern hemisphere as it comes from behind the Earth. All we have to do is to move the cargo vehicle out of the mine just for a few meters, and we fire it."

"Um? Do you recall that large cavern gallery where the mining vehicles are parked at?"

"Yes, the motor pool area. That is where the weapon is at."

"I have an idea that we do not have to expose the weapon outside the mine. Work on that lunar alignment, once I arrive, I will tell you what it will happen. Also, get Gloria and tell her to get her team ready. She will be going to the E-Collider base."

"Okay, boss."

"We need to do all this in a small time window."

.

Timing.

.

An hour later, Victor is returning from the science section with Maya into the M.C.C to see John. He is talking to Paul and Sandra, and the two scientists wait until John is finished speaking. Once he is done Victor and Maya approach him. "Maya, Victor, what you guys found out?"

Victor replies. "We check twice, and the impact will happen so close to the E-Collider that it could damage it, preventing its function."

"Commander, Doctor Bergman and I came with a solution but for it to work it needs your approval as quickly as possible."

"What is it?" Victor explains. "The atomic waste, the charges we placed in the northern hemisphere on the far side. They have to be re-oriented in a 125 degrees angle and then detonate them."

"How many?"

"Commander, Doctor Bergman and I agree that it has to be all on the northern side."

"All the charges placed in the northern hemisphere but how long it will take to realign them?"

"Maya and I calculated 3 hours. As soon they are set, they have to detonate. The rotation the detonations will create it will shift the Moon's equator line in a northern direction. Our Moon will come in contact with the other Moon in the Montes Apenninus area."

"Are you both sure? That is not too far from the E-Collider."

"John that is the best we can do given the circumstances." Victor said as John looks in Maya's E-Pad. "Okay, start realigning the charges."

"Thank you, John."

"Thank you, sir." Victor turns, but Maya stands as if wanting to say more. John asks. "What is in your mind?" Victor stops to look at Maya intrigued, and he also asks. "Is something wrong with the calculations?"

"No, no, is not the calculations but about the events that have transpired so far."

"What do you mean?" John asked. "Sir, it is with regards to the colonists of Santa Maria. They vanished, as per Queen Arra, they return into their correct time. Why their Moon did not vanish?"

Victor says. "Maya is right John, and I mention this before. Let's say that before you walked from your office to the M.C.C floor, you left a glass of water on your desk."

"Okay?"

"Then, from this exact moment you are moved back in time, assuming that Maya and I are not affected by the temporal shift, there should not be a glass of water on your desk if you took other decisions that prevented you from placing that glass of water on your desk."

"Then that other Moon should not be there, but it is there. I remember you saying that in my office."

"The people of Santa Maria, at least the original members of the other Alpha like Sandra should be back in their Alpha along with that other Moon, light years away. But why it is still here."

"Arra told me that Moon is waiting for us. Um? John thinks about it and then turns to Paul to ask. "Where is Eagle wing one?"

"They are about to take off from Santa Maria."

"Tell Alan to fly over the other Alpha and with full spectrum sensors on. The rest of the wing, have them return to the barn."

"Yes, sir." John turns to Victor and Maya to say. "A full spectrum sweep, would that be enough?"

"Yes, that will do it. Why that Moon stayed behind just waiting for us?" Victor replied, and Maya goes to say. "I would prefer to send the probe orbiting the Earth around that Moon."

"Why? I was about to order Paul to bring the probe back."

"Sir, the probe has more detail sensor capabilities than the Eagle's sensors."

"If Alan finds something of significance then I will divert the probe."

"Thank you, sir."

.

The path before you.

.

Alan and Bill are approaching the other Moon as ordered. "Bill, activate the sensors."

"Yes, sir. Hey, how come this is not done from Alpha?" Alan shakes his head slightly and says. "Oh, here we go again. Both Moons are out of sight."

"And the probe?"

"I am sure if we find something weird, the Commander will send it." Bill looks at the screen and says. "Wow? Is that weird enough?"

"What? Pass it to my screen." Bill does, and he says. "Is that weird enough?"

"But I looked at this Moon several times from Earth."

"I did too, but given the distance and the Earth's atmosphere we did not notice not until now, using the sensors."

"This Moon is almost transparent. I can nearly see Orion's belt on the other side."

Then a ghostly spherical figure is seen passing across the screen, and Bill tries to clear the image.

Alan has seen it too and says. "Whatever it was is gone."

"It looked like it was inside the Moon."

"Bill, move the upper ventral sensor facing port." Bill moves the sensor's dish and he scans. Then he says. "Nothing, it was not something passing behind the Moon."

"The sensor should be picking it up. It was big."

"Alan, look! It is back."

"Clear the image."

"Okay." Then Alan says. "It is like we are seen it through a window."

"Could it be a reflection of the Earth behind us?"

"A refection of Earth would not be moving as this thing did. We are out of Comm signal with Alpha. Let's move around the Earth and send this. We will come back afterward."

An hour later, John and Victor are in the M.C.C examining the sensor images sent by Alan and Bill from the Eagle. "What do you make of that?" John asked.

"I am not really sure, but it could be that the other Moon is in some kind of quantum fluctuation in which its physical integrity is not cohesive."

"That moving ghostly sphere inside what it could be?"

"John with regards to that moving reflection inside… I have no idea. All this might be something our science can't fully explain."

"Then, we are not crashing against a solid object. We don't need to tilt our Moon?"

"Not under this circumstances."

"Our instruments still detect the Tachyon energy on that Moon?"

"Yes, it still there and the closer we get, the brighter it becomes. The Tachyons particles are moving quicker as we approach, that is the brightness we see." Victor gets closer to John and in a soft tone asks. "Why you don't want to bring the Tachyons to us using Gorski's weapon?"

"What Queen Arra gave me to understand was that we could acquire the Tachyons on that Moon from a distance. However, the E-Collider will not work to move our Moon again once we are light-years away."

"She is saying that the entanglement of the Moons will prevent the E-Collider to work as our propulsion engine?"

"That is correct, Victor. We will be sending our Tachyons to the other Moon no matter where we are in the Universe or timeline, unable to travel on ours. Using Gorski's weapon again will be out of the question due to the separation in light years between the two Moons. Some kind of exchange has to take place by both Moons coming in direct contact. Now we don't have to worry about hitting a solid object."

"That takes a lot of pressure from our shoulders."

"It does to me, big time. Victor, I want you to find out into what that other Moon has turned into?"

Maya walks up to John and Victor and says. "I finish a preliminary study on the condition of the other Moon."

John asks. "What have you found out?"

Maya turns to the Holographic projection in the center of the M.C.C and through her E-Pad she changes the view. Now the image of the other Moon shows different colors and the stars that are seen through the semi-transparent Moon are in yellow or red.

"Gentlemen, the yellow color stars are the ones we see here from Alpha on the timeline we are in. You can see the outline of the Orion constellation in yellow. The red stars are the stars of the Ophiuchus constellation."

"Wait, Orion and Ophiuchus are in opposite alignments! How come we can see both constellations facing the same direction?" John asked and Maya answers. "In this timeline in the space-time coordinates, we are now. We can see Orion with our own eyes. However, Ophiuchus can only be seen through the other Moon with the special modifications I did to the viewer program in the computer."

"Why that Moon is doing that?" Victor asked Maya, and she replies. "Okay, the other Moon it is gone to wherever and whenever it came from. What we have here is our Tachyon energy, and what we are seen is the other Alpha's Moon reflection from whenever they are. Let me show you something."

Maya zooms over the original Alpha Moon Base, and John goes to say with surprise. "The lights are on!"

"Yes Commander, the lights are on and if you look at this closely." Maya moves the view closer and to the right. Victor goes to say. "That is one of their Eagles taking off." Then John asks. "Maya, are we on a collision course anyway?"

"No, sir. The Tachyons are just a shapeless cloud mimicking the orbit of the other Moon as if it was in orbit around the Earth. They are entangled with the other Moon and ours that is why the Tachyon field is in two places at once. Also because we are seen Ophiuchus as we look through the surface, it makes me hypostasized that cloud of Tachyons is a gate."

"A gate, but to where Maya?"

"Doctor Bergman, that gate will take us to our timeline because we are seen Ophiuchus constellation as seen from our solar system. The Tachyons are keeping that door open. If we somehow obtain those Tachyons before we make contact, the exit will collapse and as we all know. Every time we activate the E-Collider thereafter, we will be sending our Tachyons to the other Moon due to our entangled state."

John asks. "That is the gate Queen Arra spoke about. The other Moon is a mirror a reflection and also a gate."

Maya replies. "That is the best way to describe the phenomena."

John asks. "That spherical object moving about, what is it?" Maya looks down and then up and replies. "I hope, and I hope… it is not. It could be a Dorcons ship."

"That is a name I have not heard in years. What kind is it?"

"Commander, all their ships are warships. Of what class, I can't tell because I do not have a point of reference to compare measurements and at what distance is from the gate on their side. It could be a Nova class battleship or a small scout ship. Even if it is a scout ship, it could take Alpha out under an hour of bombardment."

John looks down and says. "I have that heavy sensation on my shoulders again. Maya, what can we do?"

"When we cross and we will, we have to be prepared. Gorski's weapon was effective only because my father helped Gorski."

"Wait, hold on, you said father referring to Mentor? You have not said that in years."

"Oh, that. Commander, Maya is asleep. This goes against my personal believes but given the circumstances you need me. However, if you order me to bring Maya to the driver seat, I will comply with no hesitation."

"Okay. So we are speaking with Ma'ayan?"

"Yes, sir. I hope you don't mine?"

"Well, you are the expert. What can you tell us about that Dorcons ship?" John asked, but Victor says. "John, you can't let her take over Maya!?"

"Victor, over 2,000 lives depend on this. I am sure Maya would agree."

"Doctor Bergman, the Commander, is correct, Maya does agree with me. Maya can't provide you with the exact information you need. She can only tap in my memories as vague, incomplete recollections."

Victor stays silent, and John says. "Go ahead, Ma'ayan."

"Thank you, Commander. To start, that ship is a Vanguard ship. Its mission is to submit civilizations by destroying infrastructure and military defenses. I am talking of type three civilizations kept at bay by that ship until a fleet arrives."

"A single ship can disrupt a type three civilization!? But a type three would control a whole galaxy, that can't be possible."

"Doctor Bergman, during my time before I trapped my father's disembodied digitalized essence along with me. The Dorcons had conquered thousands of galaxies, and their military ventures always start with a Vanguard class ship."

John says. "Humans now are just becoming a type one civilization. They would not have any interest in us."

"That is true, and the Dorcons had never sought civilizations type cero or even one to conquer because they do not pose a threat. Their military technology and tactics are to defeat major galactic civilizations type three and above."

"I understand what you are saying. Basically, bows and arrows can defeat them, in a manner of speech?"

"Commander you understand the concept I am conveying here, although bows and arrows will never defeat a Dorcons legion. They have never dealt with an emerging type one civilization because they are beneath them."

Victor asks. "Why are they here if they do not care about us?"

"The Dorcons are searching for me, and they do know I am here. To them, I am a high-value target."

"You?"

"Yes, Commander. When we left the Psychon's solar system, my people and the Dorcons were about to engage in a war of intergalactic proportions in my universe, and maybe they are still fighting. This ship not only traveled space and time but universes looking for something leaving the war behind. I believed it is looking for me. Knowing my father, he would have sided with the Dorcons giving them the location of Earth."

"I will not turn you in, even if you and Maya were separated."

"I believe you Commander but if not for Maya I would not hesitate to turn myself in. I have been in greater predicaments with the Dorcons, and I always manage. I would not do that to Maya, especially now."

"What do you mean by especially now?" John asked, and suddenly Maya's head tilts downward placing her hands on the sides of her head and yells. "Noooooo!" Maya seats down and looks at John. "Sir, I need to be excused. I need to see Doctor Russell."

"Maya?"

"Yes, Commander is me. I had to take control back." Maya stands, John and Victor help her and then all her physical faculties return. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, Doctor Bergman."

"Sandra."

"Yes, Commander."

"Walk with Maya to the medical area."

"No, sir… I can't manage."

"Both go I will call Doctor Russell."

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, sir." The two ladies walk out from the M.C.C and John uses his Comm-link. "Helena."

"Yes, John?"

"Maya is on her way to see you."

"What happen?"

"She is okay, Sandra is with her. You might want to call Tony."

"I always contact the spouse of my patients."

"I am just mentioning that."

"Okay, we will talk later."

"Okay, John out." John turns around to look at the Holo-sphere projection with a smile and Victor asks. "John, what happened to Maya?"

"I am no Doctor my wife is."

"I hope all is alright. But why are you smiling?"

"Oh, that… just nothing, Victor."

"Okay, but about that Dorcons ship what are we going to do?"

"I think I will call Edward on this one. That idea of bows and arrows got me thinking on some items he still has from his father days."

An hour has passed, and Helena is behind the large reception desk of the medical center talking to Doctor Nuñez when Tony walks in with a dirty combat armor spacesuit and showing a worried face that could make anyone cry. "Doctor Russell, how is Maya?"

"She is fine… excused me, Doctor Nuñez."

"Go ahead, Doctor." Helena walks around the reception desk and says to Tony. "Come with me." Tony walks in a brisk pace, and once he is walking next to Helena, he asks. "What happen?"

"Ma'ayan took over Maya to speak with my husband. Then Maya took control back, and she came over here."

"That Ma'ayan… I hate that."

"Actually from what Maya told me, it was not Ma'ayan's fault. Ma'ayan does not have the social filters that we humans follow, and Maya pushed her to the rear seat."

"Okay, how is Maya doing?" Both stop in front of a private patient room and Helena answers. "You asked that already and I told you she is doing fine. She is in here, and Maya wants to talk to you."

Tony, in a rapid movement, opens the door and walks in. The doors close and Helena moves to the opposite wall and leans on it with her arms cross. Just then John walks up to her, and he asks. "And Tony?"

"He just walked in. I am waiting if I have to call for an M.R.T code on him."

"I think he might want to celebrate tonight." Helena turns to John and says. "Oh, no. You, good sir will stand down from that thought. I heard of some of those parties the security guys have in Gloria's Bar."

"I… I was not thinking on that and anyway, Gloria's has been closed since we left Earth's orbit."

"You run this place and don't know. The security guys have the keys. Even the pilots go down there on the last Saturdays of the month."

"Alan too?"

"Ask Victor. He does not go that often but he cleans everyone playing pool. I have to admit…" John crosses his arms and with a smile asks. "Yes, go ahead, Doctor?"

"I have been there twice… before we got married, to play P-Box combat games."

"Really?"

Then a loud, joyful yell from Tony is heard and commences to laugh then the door opens. "I am going to be a dad… I am going to be a dad!"

He falls to the floor, passing out with a big smile on his face. Maya runs out of the room to help her husband on the floor as well as John then Helena with great calm opens her Comm-link, and her voice is heard from the speakers. "M.R.T, on hallway two in front of the room 25-B."

As Maya tries to revive her joyful husband by gently caressing his face, she asks Helena. "Why he passed out?"

As Helena checks her new patient, she says. "He just came from an E.V.A, and the suit's environment is 95% Oxygen. He takes the helmet off, and the environment in Alpha is at Earth's levels. If you add the joyful excitement he had, blood pressure increases as the body demands Oxygen accustomed to the suits levels and there you have him. A pass out soon to be dad."

John says. "But on any E.V.A, the personnel have to wait in the airlock for acclimation." Helena replies. "That is what the book says but you, I and Tony as everyone else just closes the external doors and opens the internal door quicker than a blink of an eye."

.

The mine.

.

As this good news transpires in Alpha, Gorski has been preparing to obtain the Tachyon energy from the other Moon. He is being driven in a six-wheeler vehicle by Natasha. They are moving through the main mine tunnel. Gorski asks. "All the preparations when are to be ready?"

"The drilling is completed, and the explosives are placed now."

They finally arrive at the large cavern used as a motor pool in the mining complex. All the vehicles have been moved deep into several tunnels.

Scaffoldings are seen under large recently drilled holes were large packages of explosives are been carefully introduced. Natasha stops the vehicle and both dismount. Gorski looks about, and then he yells. "Ronald!"

"Yes, sir." Ronald replies from the top of one of the scaffoldings. "When are you going to be done? We have a schedule to keep."

"In one hour, sir."

"Okay, keep working."

"Yes, sir." Gorski turns to Natasha to say. "This better work."

"Sir this is your plan."

"It is my plan, but your people do the work. I want all this working like clockwork."

"It will be done, sir. What about Gloria and her team?"

"They are ready and in position."

Several thousands of miles away south from the mine, Gloria and her team are getting ready for their assault on the east side on the main control facility of the E-Collider.

They walked two miles from their drop point to be overlooking the facility. Gloria has divided her team into three groups one as an overwatch and the second as a bounding overwatch.

The third one will be the breach team composed of three members including Gloria. They will place explosives to open the east airlock of the facility. They know that Commander Koenig has placed security guards in the facility and a large group approaching will be seen hundreds of meters away.

The best way to move the group is to have the doors open for them when they arrive at the facility. "Gloria, how much we have to wait?" Nicholson asks. "In their last report, they say one hour from now. So, in thirty minutes we move in."

"I am asking because our Oxygen is getting low."

"Have all unrolled the solar panels of their suits again and switch to Oxygen recycling."

"Okay. But in two hours we won't be able to reach the ship on foot. We have been in E.V.A for a while."

"We will have more motivation to take over the E-Collider."

.

Crossover.

.

In Alpha's M.C.C Sandra is monitoring the probe that now circumvents the other Moon collecting data. As she is talking to Paul, a proximity alert is sent by the probe. Sandra looks and asks Paul. "Do we have any Eagles over the other Moon?"

"None, only the probe." Sandra redirects the cameras as she focuses them. "Paul, call the Commander."

"Why, what happened?"

"That sphere is in our side now."

In the medical section, Tony and Maya are seating next to each other on a medical examination bed while Maya's right arm is over Tony's shoulders. Dr. Russell is doing the last medical checks on Tony as John talks to him. "Tony, no names yet?"

Maya replies. "Not yet."

"Honey I have one. Anthony, don't sound bad."

"Well, Doctor Russell. Is the baby a, he or she?"

"I will tell you the truth. The only reason you and us know of the baby is due to Ma'ayan. At this early stage, you should not be feeling any symptoms yet. Let me put it this way when I know you will know."

Suddenly Maya stands and her happy, mellow demeanor is gone. She presses her Comm-Link and says. "Computer, run program dislocation one." The computer replies. "Dislocation one program it is active."

"Honey, what is wrong?"

"They found a way to cross." Then John's Comm-link alerts him of a message. "Go ahead, Paul?"

"Sir the sphere ship is in our side." John raises his eyes toward Maya, and he replies. "Move to Def-Con two and alert the Dalotek Corp base and Tranquility Base."

"Yes, sir." Then the automated voice alert is heard, and John asks. "Are you Ma'ayan?"

"Yes sir, I am. I have to go to the science department at this moment I am assembling something in the R&D section."

Tony stands and puts his hand on Maya's shoulder, and he says. "Hey… hey, you can't just be running about with my wife and child on tow." She turns to him and says. "Now, I can separate from Maya. She and the baby will do fine. I have to go to the research & development assembly area."

Then she turns toward Helena. "Doctor Russell, I will need you and your medical team assisting me."

"For what?"

"To take care of me once Maya and I become separate. There is a battle coming, and you need more than ever Ma'ayan than Maya." John says. "Go." Tony replies with a worried tone. "But John, Maya and the Baby?"

"If I know Ma'ayan, Maya and the baby will be fine."

"Thank you, Commander. Tony, I could die facing the Dorcons, and that would include Maya and your baby. I need to separate, and you can have your wife back." Helena asks. "Is my understanding that if you two separate both will die? That is what worries Tony and me."

"Not this time. The new life in Maya will prevent her from dying but in my case, I will if not that I have been preparing for this eventuality."

"Maya and I having a child?"

"That is correct, Tony. After all, I don't belong to this Universe, and I had to return, or the cycle of rebirth to rebirth through the Big Bang will not be complete. I must not only defeat every Dorcons in that ship but take control of it. I promise to all of you that no harm will come to Maya or the child."

Tony puts his hand over his mouth and thinks with a worry expression on his face, and then he says. "You heard the Commander, go."

Meanwhile in the S.H.A.D.O Moon Base or as it is known officially as the Dalotek Corp Base. Edward Straker is looking into the Holographic main projections at the center of the Combat Information Center. "Are our lunar defenses ready?"

"Yes sir, our fighters as Alpha's fighters and attack Eagles are in orbit. Our surface to space batteries are ready, and our security teams are in their positions among Alpha's security teams."

"No word on Gorski?"

"Not yet."

"That sneaky bastard is never ready. The last report from the mine sentries placed him in that mine, must probably to check his weapon. He has not come out?"

"No sir or at least from the mine tunnels we know about."

"Coordinate with Alpha our defense and keep calling Tranquility Base."

"Yes, sir."

"What is the progress in our armory?"

"We found 50 boxes and the munitions for the weapons. The armorer is checking their functionality, and so far all are as when they were made."

"Those are good news, 50 times 10… 500 and their ammo. Call Alpha and tell them we have enough weapons."

"Yes, sir."

At the E-Collider Base, Gloria is seen the unexpected increased of security personnel preparedness as the fixed automatic defenses are activated. "They found out." Nicholson replies. "We have to go back to the pickup point."

Then Gloria receives a message. "Gloria, this is Gorski. You can proceed now."

"Sir, the whole base is in high alert they know we are coming."

"What!? How in blazes they knew?"

"I don't know but…" Gloria is interrupted by fast moving objects of a long oval shape falling from above all surrounding the E-Collider base.

Just before the objects hit with force the surface, they stop only a foot or two from the ground. A bright light comes from the interior of the silver objects, and they open rapidly like a blooming flower.

Ten feet tall bipedal creatures with curved horns on their heads having hoofs for feet are seen standing still in the center of the open pods. The creatures are not wearing a spacesuit and quickly all join in formation facing the base. The automatic laser defenses as the security personnel open fire.

Some of the aggressors fall until a yellow halo of light appears in front of the Dorcons troops and the lasers dispensed from the base defenders bounces off. The enemy moves quickly toward the base but always keeping the shield forward.

"Gloria, what is going on!?" Gorski asks. "Sir if I am not mistaken, the Dorcons are here."

"Impossible! We left those bastards, light years behind and in another universe. What are they doing here?"

"What any naval commanding officer would do. Try to disable the enemy's engine."

"Gloria, we need the E-Collider. Take those horn-headed sons of bitches out and take that base."

"Yes, sir." Nicholson who heard the conversation of Gloria and Gorski says. "Ma'am, those things are all around the base. They are more of them that we don't see."

"Those laser auto-turrets took down their front line before they put that light in front of them. That yellow halo is their personal shield, will see if they can cover their rear and front at the same time."

"And if they can handle all their flanks?"

"We will improvise but first have the teams used the grenade launchers targeting inside the enemy formation in front of us. Then we go full laser auto on their asses."

"Yes, Ma'am." Nicholson contacts the team leaders, and the orders are followed. Gloria waits and then Nicholson says. "Ma'am we are ready."

"Fire!"

The grenades take flight, and as mortar rounds, they fall on target. The enemy troops are hit hard and many fall but what Gloria wanted to see was the effect of the explosive shrapnel. All the down aggressors are hit on the back, the ones still standing are wounded and confused as to from what direction the attack came.

Gloria says. "Team two continue with the grenades. Everyone else switch to armor piercing lasers in full auto-fire."

Between the fire coming from the base defenders and Gloria's team, the Dorcons commence to fall. The whole eastside is being cleared of enemies when a bright light emanates from the ignored Dorcons drop pods that still open.

More enemy soldiers appear, and for an inexplicable reason, all the laser weapons of the defenders stop working. Gloria examines her assault laser rifle as the grenades keep falling on the enemy.

"Gloria what now!?" Nicholson asked. Gloria unfolds the bayonet of her malfunctioning weapon then she secures the weapon on her back. Gloria pulls her side weapon. She aims in a right angle into the approaching enemy formation and fires hitting an enemy soldier on its side. He falls, and she hits two more, and both aggressors fall as well.

"The chemical propelled weapons work. The grenades launchers work. Bring the heavy rocket rifles up front to knock out those landing pods. Have all unfold the bayonet on their laser rifles and tell our people to use the side weapons. They can't cover all their flanks at once. This will become dirty in a blink of an eye."

"Yes, Ma'am."

.

Separation.

.

Doctor Russell with Doctor Nuñez arrived at the large assembly and construction area of the R&D area of the science department. They see Victor and Maya behind the control station of the robotic assembly drones.

Melted metal is been poured into molds, then the drones once the liquid metal is solid they retrieve the material and refine it with laser cutters.

Other drones are interconnecting Bio-Gel wiring in a suit as other drones place the recently melted pieces on and inside the suit. The suit slowly takes the form of an Alpha combat spacesuit but is lighter, thin and more flexible than its Alpha counterparts. Helena asks. "Victor, what is that suit for?"

"Ma'ayan is going to recreate an environment in that suit that will be… well, it is not biosphere based but energy based environment. I think that is how she explained it."

The last part of the suit is assembled, and Ma'ayan replies. "It will maintain my cohesion by energetic quanta forces. In this memory stick is the diagrams for the suit for all of you to build more."

Ma'ayan gives the stick to Victor and puts it on his work station. Then he asks. "How come the first time you came out of your father's prison you could maintain your cellular cohesion?"

Ma'ayan replies. "My Father maintained my form with his morphs powers. In reality, I have no physical form as you would recognize it. My real body is on Psychon."

"This suit will help you, wow. No weapons?" Helena asked. "I will acquire one from my first kill."

Helena's eyes open wide surprised by the answer, and she says. "I really don't want to know that."

At that same time, John is in the M.C.C coordinating the defense of the E-Collider main base. Paul, Sandra, and Kano are next to him seen as all transpire through the Holographic projection in the middle of the large room.

Paul says. "Sir, Tanya Alexander reports that the Dorcons are advancing from all directions, except from the east side of the base. Apparently, there is a large group in E.V.A combat suits confronting the enemy."

"Who are they?"

"They are Gorski's people. The same group that tried to take the gravity generators five years ago."

"The fake Marines, what was Gorski planning with them?"

"Tanya doesn't know, but they are engaging the enemy on hand to hand combat, with small arms weapons, self-propels rockets, and grenades. Tanya reports that all energy feed weapons are none-functional. Only the chemical-mechanical weapons work."

"Maybe not bows and arrows but gunpowder will do the trick. Tell Tanya that help is on her way."

"Yes, sir."

Kano asks. "But why the E-Collider base and not us or Gorski even the Dalotek base?"

Sandra replies. "We think they want to control the E-Collider drive engine. They don't know we can't use it and they think we will jump away."

Kano goes to say. "I shut down and locked the E-Collider mainframe and all servers. They can't start the Tachyon drive without the codes."

Then Kano panel lights up with an automated message. He reads it and turns to John. "Sir, the E-Colliders was just started, but it shut down. There it goes again." John walks to Kano's station as looks to ask. "The safeties are on. How could it be?"

"It is only for one second and it shutdowns as before."

"Could it be a malfunction? No one can start the E-Collider but from here."

"I will do a check of the system."

"Keep me posted."

"Yes, sir."

Jackie Crawford, who has been following the progress of the battle, goes on to report. "Commander, the second fighter wing and five attack Eagles arrived at the E-Collider base. The Dalotek private security contractors are on their way, and Major Verdeschi is on the ground with a Q.R.F team. The Major reports the east side it is clear of enemy forces. Someone told Captain Alexander by radio to destroy the devices that dropped the enemy soldiers and they have been doing that. The devices work as a trans-mat, bringing enemy soldiers to the surface."

John's attention returns fully to the battle and says. "That is somewhat of good news. What about the main force with Alan?"

"The sphere has moved into the far side of our Moon, and they have not been able to engage it. Alan doesn't want to send the fighters ahead concern that the Eagle bombers would lose their cover."

"That is his call. I am more worry about the E-Collider base."

John looks at the holographic display for a few seconds and then says. "Jackie, contact the Major have him move to the east side of the base. Tell him to link with Gorski's people but to be careful with them their loyalties can change in a blink of an eye. Tell him to form a perimeter around the base. Contact the Dalotek security and have them land on top of the base to take positions near the malfunctioning auto-turrets. They are going to be our new auto-turrets."

"Yes, sir." Then John opens his Comm-Link. "Doctor Russell."

"This is Dr. Mathias, sir."

"Where is my chief medical?"

"She is in the science department with Doctor Bergman and Doctor Roberts."

"Oh… I forgot. Dr. Mathias, are the medical Eagles ready?"

"Yes sir, just give us the word."

"Go to the E-Collider base. Drop the Eagle's medical pods. After that, the Eagles will return here."

"Yes, sir." Then John turns to Jackie. "Give me Alan on the horn."

"Yes, sir."

"Kano."

"Yes, Commander."

"Link the main computer to detonate the charges on the far side."

"But sir, given the…" "Kano, do it."

"Yes, sir."

"This is Bomber One to Alpha."

"Alan, have Colonel Ehrlich and three escort fighters to scout the sphere. They do not engage, they look and report then they turn around. Hold your position over the Godard crater."

"Yes, sir I will do that. But why?"

"I think, the E-Collider is Calais and the far side is Normandy."

"Oh, crap… and then what?"

"A big Fourth of July."

"You mean, the Twenty Six of January. Okay, I got it."

Then John notices the staff of the M.C.C turning to looking toward the main entrance. John turns to see, Helena and Maya walking in.

Once both women are close to John, Helena stops, and Maya continues to walk up to the Commander. "Sir, I am ready for duty."

John's mouth is open by the surprise, although he knew, this is the first time he sees Maya fully human. He then looks at Helena, and she says. "I can fix that open mouth in medical."

"Is she fit for duty?" Then he looks at Maya. "Are you feeling well?"

"John, she is fit for duty."

"Yes Commander, I am ready."

"Okay, take your station."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir."

"But… but, where is Ma'ayan?" Maya replies. "She is checking on my husband as I asked her and for what I saw, she is ready to kick Dorcons asses."

.

The enemy of my friends.

.

Most of the trans-mat pods of the Dorcons have been disabled but for those that continue operational are targeted from all angles by the defenders. Every time an enemy soldier is integrated from its journey he or she is killed or wounded.

Still, many again go forward in the name of the all-powerful Dorcons inter-galactic empire. Tony and his security forces have joined Gorski's security force lead by Gloria. The battle has turned into a mixture of hand to hand combat and chemical powered small weapons.

Gloria and Tony are fighting next to each other, and unexpectedly both have turned in each other's backup, a team of two against a common foe.

Above the E-Collider base, Eagles with the Dalotek logo are dropping S.H.A.D.O combat operatives armed with fully functional old chemical-mechanical weapons of different types. They engage the enemy with Alpha's security led by Tanya from the base.

Outside, Tony and Gloria are fighting one of the Dorcons. Gloria has her arms around the thick neck of the enemy soldier as Tony stabs him several times with his combat knife. The creature pushes Tony away, and then the enemy soldier bends his torso and rams Tony pushing him even further.

A second enemy soldier rams Gloria from the back of the Dorcons soldier she was on. Gloria falls and when she turns to face her enemy. It is approaching her with a sword in hand toward her.

Tony pushes the Dorcons soldier than rammed him almost taking his foe to the ground. But Tony continues running and with his bayonet stabs on the head the Dorcons that was on his way to dispose of Gloria.

"Behind you!" Gloria yelled, and Tony moves down and to his left dogging a mortal blow from the Dorcons he pushed. Now Tony is on the ground facing the enemy soldier as Gloria opens fire on the aggressor.

The Dorcons raises his sword to give a fatal blow to Tony. Suddenly the Dorcons head detaches in an explosion of thick bright yellow blood as the separated body follows the impact force of the deadly blow.

Tony sees a woman in a modified Alpha E.V.A combat suit holding a highly polished sword smeared with the yellow blood as her right arm. The whole suit is tainted with large splatters of the yellow fluid, and she says. "Your wife sent me."

"Ma'ayan?"

"Yes, it is I, the Commander of the great legion. Stand on your feet gallant warrior and let us fight this vermin to Abrason."

"Ab… where?"

"To hell." Ma'ayan said as she pulls Tony up and Gloria joins them to ask. "Who are you?"

"Your reinforcements." Tony asks. "For been so advanced, why the swords?"

"This sword it is from a dead enemy soldier I disposed on this field of battle and it is made by technologies thousands of year's head of any known civilization. I prefer my sword that is more advanced than this one, but it is on my home planet." Gloria says. "Well, you better start swinging that sword because here they come!"

Tony and Ma'ayan turn to see a large contingent of enemy soldiers running toward them. Ma'ayan laughs as she jumps toward the incoming foe.

Tony and Gloria look in dismay then Tony says as he starts to run toward the enemy with Gloria. "This bitch is crazy!" Gloria replies. "Crazy is what we need."

Meanwhile, at the other side of the Moon Colonel Ehrlich and her three pilots are holding their position observing the enemy ship. "Alpha, this is escort one."

"What do you see Colonel?"

"Commander, the sphere is about a thousand feet from the surface over the Tsiolkovsky crater north of the central peak and its downloading thousands of soldiers and what look like military vehicles."

"Good job Colonel, return to the Godard crater."

"Yes, sir."

But when the Colonel is about to turn she notices a smaller sphere emerging over the horizon coming from the near side and once next to the large sphere it commences to load enemy troops from the ground. Ehrlich thinks for a moment and then she switches frequencies and calls. "E-Collider security one, this is escort one. Tanya, are you there?"

"Yes Colonel, I am here."

"Have any new enemy troops arrived?"

"Not for a while but we still fighting with the ones left behind."

"I found out from where the enemy troops are being transported on your position."

"From the sphere ship."

"No, a smaller sphere is doing that. I do not know from what angle on the horizon over you the trans-mat it is being done. But you will have more enemy soldiers soon."

"Scheisse! Danke fur die information. Joan, Ich liebe dich."

"Ich liebe dich auch. Stay safe Tanya, my love. I will inform Alpha."

At Alpha's M.C.C John is following the progress of the battle for the Moon. A few minutes back Colonel Ehrlich reported her discovery, and now the small sphere is being tracked by Alan's task force.

Victor who is standing next to John goes to say. "I remember when that female Dorcon appeared here in the M.C.C without using those trans-mat pods. I guess the big ships use pod less trans-mat."

"That is why they have not appeared here in Alpha the big ship has to be in a line of sight. The important thing is that we know how they do it. What you came to tell me?"

"John, I ran some calculations if the charges on the far side are detonated. If you do it at any time before we touch the other Moon or the Tachyon cloud, we will change course away from that other Moon."

"We have to take out or at least damage that sphere."

"Unless you can detonate the charges on the Tsiolkovsky crater only that will not change our course."

"Except for the far side northern hemisphere charges all others are rigged to go off simultaneously. I guess all that has changed. How fast we will leave Earth's orbit missing the other Moon?"

"Not as fast as we move now. It is as you said, we had something else planned. That other Moon is a gateway to reach home, and we will miss it." John thinks his options, and he then turns to Paul. "Paul, is the probe operational?"

"Yes, sir."

"Send it through that gate. Program the probe to make an elliptical orbit going in and out that gateway. I want to know if our ships can survive going through it."

"Yes, sir." Victor asks. "Are you considering activating the Exodus protocol?"

"That would be the only solution given the circumstances. If the Earth we saw when we arrive first is on the other side, we need to reach it. We have to stop the Dorcons or at least slow them down."

"But leaving the Moon behind?"

"If we have too, we will."

.

The light at the end of the hole.

.

Gorski and Natasha are in the main control center of the mine receiving the information sent from Alpha relayed through Tranquility Base. "How these horned animals found us?"

"Sir the fact is that they are here. Alpha is requesting for our fighters to join a task force. They have engaged a smaller sphere."

"Our fighters? John is crazy if he thinks he can take down any of their ships with our particle beam weapons and missiles. The last time we dealt with one of their ships, Mentor was in our side, and definitely, he knew more of those ships than us."

"Commander Koenig thinks it can be done. The information we received from one of our friends in Alpha, Koenig plans to detonate the redesign expended atomic piles."

"I don't know how spend reactor fuel rods, and old plutonium warheads can be detonated."

"Maya redesign the casings and the collapsing explosives for the material to reach critical mass."

"You say, Maya Roberts. It was that alien in her or whatever possesses that woman that made those containers to detonate. Um? Detonating those charges might work, but something is telling me it might not have the desire outcome."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"Look at the pictures of that ship. Look at the bottom. They are unloading troops and vehicles. Correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"The charges will detonate taking the enemy troops on the surface. The only reason that enemy ship is where it is at, it is because it is unloading their troops. That ship will survive the explosions and the enemy commander will swing around the Moon and bomb the living daylights of all of us from orbit."

"That ship can orbit the Moon in seconds, sir."

"Also talking about orbits, how soon we will be aligned with the other Moon."

"Sir, a small fraction of that Moon will peek around the Earth in one hour as expected."

"That will have to do, but I prefer close to a quarter size target. Where is that enemy ship in relation to our position here?"

"Not that far. The guards posted on the east side of the mine report seen the top part of the sphere over the horizon."

"Really? That could give us an excuse to move the weapon outside the mine without been attacked in one hour."

"Then aim to the other Moon when the time comes. But sir, Gloria would need to be in control of the E-Collider for this to work."

"You are right, Gloria's team need to be in control of the E-Collider operations. We have just to modify our plans."

"How we do that sir?"

Gorski looks at the screen, he leans slightly forward, and he points into the map to say. "To start, I don't like those charges to the east they are too close to us."

"I wanted to mention that as well, sir. If all the charges are detonated aren't we at the edge of the explosive zone?"

"Yes, we are. First, send a team to disarm the charges I just pointed out to the east."

"But sir, quadrillions of tons if not more of Moon rocks will still cover this whole area with the remaining charges exploding all at once. Should we, you know… evacuate?"

"Not yet. Second, we have to modify our original plan just a bit with regards to Gloria, and third I will make a call to Koenig that we are going to use our weapon against those horned bastards in one hour. If that does not work, then we are leaving."

.

Control.

.

In Alpha's M.C.C, John is once more examining this new situation as a military strategist rather than the customary administrator of Moon Base Alpha looking at the Holo-sphere.

Then Paul says. "Commander, the smaller sphere ship is returning to the big one with damage."

"Have Alan disengage and return to Godard crater."

"Yes, sir. What about the big ship?"

"That ship will not move, not until has unloaded all their troops. They are interested in the E-Collider center for now."

"How did they know of the E-collider center and also they are taking their sweet time to unload all those troops?" John turns to see Helena asking, and he replies. "I guess Mentor gave them the Intel. But why you say they are taking their time in purpose?"

"Yes, they probably can trans-mat all those troops on the ground at once or directly over their targets."

"You are right. Why are they doing that?" Kano walks up to John with an E-pad and says. "Excuse me, sir."

"Yes, Kano?"

"This is the system check on that start signal of the E-Collider, and somehow the E-Collider has been fired several times and the time interval between the startups is of 35.6 Nano-seconds."

"From where the start commands are being given?"

"The orders are given from the E-Collider mainframe."

Meanwhile, at the E-Collider center, all the aggressors are dead. Now those out in E.V.A suits are recharging their Oxygen supplies and obtaining the old Exo-Environmental weapons brought by the S.H.A.D.O operatives. Ma'ayan is standing next to Tony as he restores his Oxygen. "Hey, you fought well with that sword."

"Thank you, Tony. You did well also."

"Aren't you going to recharge your Oxygen?"

"I don't need…" Ma'ayan does not complete her sentence when she turns slowly toward the building as if she was sensing something and Tony asks. "What is wrong?"

She does not answer and sprints toward the building. "Hey, where are you going!?" Tony asked and before he could follow her Tanya's voice is heard over the net. "Attention, the enemy drop ship as returned to its base. All ambulatory wounded personnel or with suit leaks over 10% report inside."

"Tanya, this is Tony. Ma'ayan just entered the facility through the east airlock. Something spooked her."

"Maybe she forgot to add a bio-bag in her suit and needs to use the ladies room."

"Very funny, check on her."

"Will do."

Just before Ma'ayan opens the inner airlock door, she thinks for a moment, and she changes her appearance to a human. Ma'ayan knows that emotions are high among the defenders and she does not want a friendly fire incident hurting friendly personnel by her full Psychon features that are more pronounced now than when she was joined with Maya.

Ma'ayan enters into the locker change room where medical staff is attending the wounded or engineering staff repairing suits. Once she walks into the hallway, Ma'ayan is greeted by Tanya. "Wait… are you?"

"Yes, I am. I change my features to avoid other people getting hurt."

"Why are you here and not out there? That drop ship could return."

"Come with me and bring some of your warriors."

"Why?"

"The real attack is happening now inside your fortress."

Ma'ayan dash down the hallway followed by Tanya that is calling for the Quick Response Team assigned to the east side. "What attack?" Tanya asked.

"All that fighting out there the slow unloading of troops it is just a distraction. I should have figured it out. The Dorcons could have unloaded their troops here over this facility and not attack at a distance as they are doing."

"They made it in! How many?"

"Just one as I just did trough an entrance."

"Impossible, all entrances are guarded."

"As I stated, the enemy enter as I just did without been challenge." In one of the intersections, the Q.R.T joins the two women.

They all turn a corner and at the end of the hallway the main E-Collider computer room doors are seen. Ma'ayan pulls her sword and growls as she approaches the doors. Tanya, seen this yells. "Lock and load."

Ma'ayan stabs her sword in between the two massive doors and pries them open with force. Tanya as the rest of the security officers are at awe by Ma'ayan strength.

As the doors open the servos, spark around the door frame, and Ma'ayan enters. The group sees all the servers impregnated by a silver gelatinous substance moving over, around and inside the equipment.

Ma'ayan walks deeper into the large room and yells. "Where are you?"

"I am here, my beautiful daughter."

All turn to see Mentor standing at the end of the room. Ma'ayan jumps with sword in hand as the entire security team aims at Mentor. He raises his hand, and part of the silver substance traps Ma'ayan in midflight as all the security team before they could open fire.

"Father, what are you doing here!?"

"Look, I have my real body back."

"Impossible! Your real body is on Psychon."

"The war is over. My Dorcons friends won. At a high cost but they won."

"Liar!"

"Why I am here in my real body, you asked? Well, this Tachyon technology is coveted by my allies. As advanced as Psychon and Dorcons civilizations are, or in the case of Psychon, it was. This human civilization achieved something that we don't have."

"We can cross universes and travel faster than the humans. This technology is available to the Dorcons."

"I am referring to timeline jump. The Dorcons fear that in another timeline they lost the war or for that all the wars they ever fought. So they want to invade all the timelines."

"There are infinite timelines they can't invade them all!"

"They are persistent, and that is how they won the inter-galactic war."

"How do you found us?"

"They and I as a worried father, we have been following you for a while now just in case Koenig decided to drop you off on Psychon and turn the war around. But for the surprise of all in your last jump, this whole moon vanishes. We came to Earth and found the gate. Poor humans… anyway, here we are. Now, I will take you and your friends to Dorcania to present all this to the Emperor. But… for some reason this contraption will start but will not travel." Ma'ayan laughs and then replies. "Would you want to know?"

"That is why 99% of the humans on this Moon still alive. One or more have to know or even you why this machine is not working."

"I will tell you nothing."

"I am a patient Psychon but the Dorcons Commander. She is just waiting for an excuse to blow all the human lunar bases apart right from under their feet. You know they can, they have the military might to win an inter-galactic war. What is to them a mere handful of human habitats on a drifting rock in space?"

"Okay, let the Moon pass through the gate."

"Why?"

"Every time you start the engine, the propulsion energy is transferred to the gate."

"Not true. I thought you better than to lie."

"If you turned the engine already, compare the energy-mass of the gate now to the time you cross it. You will see it has increased."

Mentor closes his eyes and says. "You are right, it has, and this Moon is moving faster toward the gate. I tried more than once. I guess I will try again until the Moon crosses over." He opens his eyes and smiles to say. "Let's try again."

At that moment several stun grenades are tossed into the room, and an armed group of five lead by Gloria enter. The grenades sonic percussion disorients Mentor, and the silvery substance recedes from the captives already stun.

Gloria and her team aim at the Alpha security team but once she sees Mentor Gloria opens fire at the more substantial threat and her team follow suit.

Mentor's shield can't protect him from the antiquated munitions dispense toward him and hides. Ma'ayan is free and chases her father. As she turns around the servers a bright flash of light is seen, and Mentor is gone. The strange silvery substance turns into liquid and drips to the floor motionless.

Ma'ayan hits with her fist a desk in anger almost breaking it in half, and she walks back to the entrance. She sees Gloria and her team now pointing their weapons toward Tanya and her team on the floor.

Ma'ayan slightly raises her sword toward Gloria and asks. "You are here to help or not?" Gloria has seen Ma'ayan in battle, and she turns to her team and says. "Pick them up and take them to the medical station."

Ma'ayan lowers her sword and says. "That is better." Gloria replies. "What other reason I have to come here?"

"I don't know? Maybe Gorski told you to take over the E-Collider, you tell me."

"Not in a million years. By the way, the small ship was damage by an Alpha task force and returned to the big one. I guess the intruders are not coming."

"Wait? The transport ship is not here?"

"That is what I said."

"Then… how?"

Ma'ayan slowly turns and walks to the back where her father teleported. She looks about, and to the floor then she stops. By now Gloria is next to her.

"Gloria, let me have your pistol." Gloria complies intrigued, and Ma'ayan raises the weapon toward one of the servers. "Father you know, this calculating device do not bleed, and this archaic weapon can pass through your shield."

The server changes form into Mentor, and he holds the side of his chest as blood pours out. "I fooled you did I."

"I thought no one could change into inanimate objects."

"I learn to do it many years… and…uff… not different from…" Mentor falls to the floor. Ma'ayan checks him still with misgivings and Mentor says. "I am not… deceiving you."

"You old fool… you are dying."

"My body was… injected with a slow poison by our people. Just in case I would return into it as I foolishly did."

"Is there an antidote?"

"Yes… In payment for the antidote, I must take the Moon to the Dorcons Emperor… he has it. But for what I see you are not better off in that suit. I guess young Maya is with child."

"She is, and I will last enough time in this suit to help these people."

"You and your big heart… (Cough)… I am proud of you. I have always been."

Ma'ayan lifts Mentor, and as she walks, he asks. "Where are you taking me?"

"To Doctor Russell."

"My beloved daughter… my condition… is beyond human medicine."

"Something has to be done!"

"That will be you. Take the silver intelligence. I gave you command over it. Take my body to the Dorcons. They are waiting for me alive or dead."

"No father, I will take you back home. There must be a cure in Psychon."

"With this wound and the poison… I will not make it to Psychon."

"If that happens, with the time I have I will seek the Emperor and avenged you and all of Psychon. This is my promise to you."

.

The time is at hand.

.

In the M.C.C John receives the news from Tanya of Mentor's return and that Ma'ayan has taken him onboard an Eagle. The strangest part of the report is that Ma'ayan, as she carried her father, was followed by a large silver color gelatinous blob that she took onboard the Eagle.

John continues. "… Did she say where she was going?" Tanya replies. "No, sir. Only that she will call you soon."

"Then we will wait." Jackie Crawford goes to say. "Commander is Ma'ayan in the blue one line. She is calling from one of the Dalotek Eagles." John pushes the line and says. "Ma'ayan what is going on?"

"Commander, I am on my way to the Dorcon ship with my father. Do not stop this old wooden horse or me."

"Wooden? A wooden horse? Ma'ayan that is no way to end this, come back and we will help Mentor and you. I already know he is wounded."

"It was a great adventure been with all of you. I learn that the measure of a civilization is not in their advances but their motivations to use the advances. To offer to help my father after he has done to all of you it is the act of a great civilization."

"Come back we need you, here."

"Sorry Commander… I have to fulfill a promise to my father and my people. If I don't do this, the Dorcons will not stop here with humankind. Farewell to all and Maya, I know you and Tony will be wonderful parents."

Maya stands from her station and in a brisk pace walks in front of the large Holo-projection of Ma'ayan seen her in the commanding pilot seat. "Ma'ayan, please return to us. This child needs an aunty, a strong as wonderful and you are it."

Ma'ayan's tears commence to protrude then she looks down hiding her face and turns off the fee. Maya with tears in her eyes turns to John and asks choked by emotions. "What is she doing?" John takes a big breath and replies. "A Trojan Horse."

At that same time, Gorski is receiving a call from Gloria. "… Now it is impossible to reach the servers and start the collider. They have more security than before."

"That bitch alien and her father doomed us on this rock!"

"Sir, at any time did Commander Koenig mention to you anything about a portal?"

"A what? A portal! What portal?"

"The other Moon is a portal. I just found out through one of Koenig senior security officers."

"Who, Verdeschi?"

"No sir, Tanya Alexander." Gorski turns to Natasha and says. "Put me through Alpha. No one mentioned this in the meeting I had with them in Alpha."

"Yes, sir." As Natasha moves to the wireless link to contact Alpha's M.C.C Gorski continues with Gloria. "I want you to stand by for orders. Cooperate with them unless I tell you not to."

"Yes, sir."

In Alpha's M.C.C Jackie receives the call from Gorski. He turns to John and says. "Commander is Gorski in red line three. He wants to speak with you."

"When not." John walks to Jackie's station and activates the line. "Gorski, what your people were doing by the E-Collider?"

"What do you think to help out?"

"Yea, right. What do you want?"

"Is that true that the other Moon is a portal or a gate?"

"Yes, and we need to go through it to return to our timeline."

"How come I was not informed of this during the meeting?"

"We found out after and there must be a sky-high pile of messages from me to you in Tranquility base. You must be in the mine with your weapon."

"That is not the point of my call. I can use my weapon and disable that sphere ship at least for a while. Then you can go at it with all you have."

"Gorski, we have that cover."

"So you are planning on using the makeshift nukes your alien girl built you."

"We have a better plan than that, but just in case we use the nukes. You better be out of that mine, or you and your people will be entombed under several quadrillions of tons of lunar rock."

"In thirty minutes I will fire my weapon on the enemy ship. I have a line of sight to the top part and if the same happened as before that ship will lose all power for a few minutes. Have your and rich kid's forces ready… thirty minutes John starting, now."

"Gorski don't be a fool and get your people out of there! Gorski!"

"Sir, the transmission is off." Jackie said. John looks down in silence with both arms extended on Jackie's Comm station. Then he says. "Jackie, patch me through to the Dalotek base. Call Alan and tell him to be ready to engage the enemy ship."

"Yes, sir." Maya who is hearing the conversation that just transpired stands to say. "Commander, what about Ma'ayan?"

"She will arrive at that sphere ship in less than 15 minutes. Whatever she is going to do, this might help her do it."

"But she does not know what is to happen. You have to call her back."

"Maya, I can't do that. The Dorcons might intercept that information if they have not done it with the conversation between Gorski and I. Even something as trivial as telling her to be ready in thirty minutes they might get ready for it, and we might lose that opportunity."

"But sir, then how can we tell her?"

"For what I have known of her, she will take advantage of the situation once it happens. She is no little girl… you know her better than I. If you have any doubts I will stop Gorski."

Maya looks straight at John, and with pride she replies. "I have full confidence that Ma'ayan will be victorious." John smiles and says. "You even sound like her."

In the cavern-like command center of the Dorcons ship, Admiral Varda is conversing with a live three-dimensional projection of Mentor approaching the spherical ship in an Eagle. "Mentor, why this rock isn't moving?"

"It will as soon I arrive on board. I had to commandeer this archaic contraption to reach you."

"What happened to your pod?"

"It was destroyed. Why else would I be in this thing."

"The curved trans-mat projector signal it is still on and where is Dorzak."

"Well, it did not work, and here I am and… Dorzac stayed behind."

"Okay, enter the central bays."

"That is better."

"You are just in time. I was about to detonate the Ionic Gravity Compression charges placed under the vermin's bases."

"Oh? Wait until I am standing next to you on the bridge. I want to enjoy that."

"The last Dorcons ship in both universes and a Psychon has to stand on its bridge."

Mentor open wide his eyes and slowly turns to look toward the co-pilot seat with surprise. Then the transmission is cut by Mentor. Admiral Varda is confused at the abrupt termination of the transmission. "What happen?" Varda asked and one of the subordinates replies. "Ma'am the signal was terminated from the source."

"That fool, he had two simple tasks. Move this rock and capture Ma'ayan. Now I can't detonate the Ionic charges until we know where she is."

"This is the only way." A male voice said from the upper staircase. Varda turns toward the voice and vows to say. "Emperor Malik, I was not expecting you here or at least not yet."

"We need Ma'ayan and Mentor. We will succeed."

"Emperor any Imperial military left are scatter and isolated. Most lack communication to coordinate a counter-offensive as you have delineated."

"I will expand tenfold the battle crumbled Empire I inherited from my father. All hinges on Mentor delivering."

"Or he will die."

"He will die anyway. All I want is the brain stem of her daughter and her memories then I will continue the war forever."

Inside the approaching Eagle, Ma'ayan has returned to her appearance and confronts her father who is still slumped on the co-pilot seat. "You lie to me… what else I should expect from you!?"

"I am sorry… the only way you can return to Psychon controlled space is in that ship. Telling you that the Dorcons won the inter-galactic war… (Cough)… was for you to leave these humans behind make you want to take arms to liberate our people. Emperor Malik, he was going to kill us anyway."

"Attempt to kill us is more accurate."

"I always knew there was no cure… for the poison. I want you to return home and live… get married, have children."

"Then why try to take the Moon for Malik?"

"He wants to jump timelines and find a line where the Dorcons won to help him retake what they lost. I always knew that the human engine could do this. That is why he searched, and in exchange for my help he would restore my health, but he lied."

"For his and your surprise the humans already did that when you arrive. But why take the Moon for Malik if you knew he was lying?"

"(Cough)… now… (Cough)… you have to take over that ship with the silver micro-mechanisms. They are more now than when they enter this ship."

"What are those mechanisms?"

"Machines of destruction as creation… (Cough)… it is yours to command."

"How can I control it?"

"My dear… daughter… it is an extension of your… powers. Please… tell me… that you will return home and be happy… let this old man hear that… please."

"Yes, father I will." There is silence, and then Ma'ayan says. "Father? … Father!?"

That is all Ma'ayan said as she held the lifeless hand of her progenitor and mentor. She closes his eyes and slowly returns to the controls. "Oh, father… you lost your way." Ma'ayan cries for all those she will leave and for the one that left, the greatest scientist in all of Psychon history, her beloved father.

The heavy land transport vehicle stops outside the mine and I the distance over the lunar horizon one-fourth of the enemy ship peeks over the mountains in the distance. The lunar transport pivots in place to face the spherical ship and once the turning maneuver is completed the muzzle of the massive weapon is pointing toward the enemy.

Several crews prepare the weapon as they connect hoses and electrical cables the cannon is raised then aimed. Long and heavy electrical wires run from the mine to the weapon's power supply and once connected the generators commence to spin charging the weapon ordinance firing chamber.

Inside the mine, Gorski and Natasha are observing the preparations to fire the I.G.A weapon. "Sir, the space area is clear of any intruding vehicles."

"That means John and rich kid want us to fire the weapon and the horned bastards are not monitoring our wireless communications."

"The thirty minutes will be up in two minutes."

"I hope their forces are ready. I am always punctual." One of the techs manning the scanners turns to Gorski. "Sir, an Eagle is squawking with a Dalotek transponder near the enemy ship."

"What!" That is all Gorski said as he approaches the scanning station. He looks at the tech points into the screen. "Look sir that is definitely an Eagle from Dalotek."

"What the hell? It is not been challenged by the enemy." Natasha says. "You think that Eagle is loaded with nukes?"

"It does not matter if it is or not. The enemy is allowing it to approach. Get me Koenig on the horn. I want to know what is going on."

"Yes, sir."

As the Eagle approaches the Dorcons ship, a large entrance opens on the side of the ship as a parting liquid. In the interior, a large hangar is seen. The hangar texture and shapes resemble a cavern as biological machines with long arms resembling tentacles move fighters and other vehicles about the hangar.

The lights of the hangar are similar to the bio-florescent light of Earth's deep-sea creatures moving in a luminescent spectral valet, slowly changing into different colors.

The Eagle crosses the force field that keeps the atmosphere inside the hangar. It lands in a circular landing pad shimmering with lights as seen on the rest of the hangar superstructure. Dorcons soldiers move into a formation around the human-built ship.

Then the entire sphere ship shakes tilting to one side as all powered systems shut down and the ship falls toward the surface. Soldiers, maintenance crews and anyone in the ship is tossed about as the networks try to restart.

The ship hits the surface with a tremendous force and the infrastructure buckles as it transfers the energy of the impact across the ship. The Eagle disintegrates transforming in a mass of liquid silver and out of the liquid massive tentacles stretch out in all direction in the hangar dissolving into itself all that it touches.

The mass continues to grow, and the tentacles expand across the ship as more material is ingested. Ma'ayan walks in a calm and self-assured pace through the hangar with the body of her father in her arms toward the main entrance.

Ma'ayan is in the center of the silver as the open shell of an oyster protecting her with the extending silver tentacles devouring the inner superstructure of the ship. The enemy soldiers aim at Ma'ayan, but the silver cuts them down in half that by now it's encompassed the whole hangar.

On the bridge of the Dorcons ship, Varda and Malik are maintaining their balance against the tremors onboard by holding to the command table at the center of the bridge. Malik looks in horror at the display on the table, and he says. "It is her!"

"Mentor is dead!" Varda said with a despairing tone and Malik replies. "She will not stop, and we can't bargain with her for the life of Mentor!"

A large pillar of the silver intrudes the bridge like an explosion from the deck and continues to extend upward through the overhead. The entire structure of the ship has been reshaped rapidly as more pillars emerge in the bridge.

Outside the ship, the silver is extending its deadly tentacles over the lunar surface killing all the Dorcons troops that survived the impact around the now grounded ship. Troops and military vehicles are rapidly absorbed into the silver.

The few Dorcons fighters outside the ship take aim into the expanding mass with their entire kinetic and spatial ordinance. Graviton implosion missiles hit the silvery attacker, but nothing stops it.

The main blast doors of the bridge explode inward by the pushing force of the silver. Ma'ayan still walking in her calm pace but her face shows anger as she looks about.

"Malik!" Ma'ayan yelled, and all those with weapons open fire, but each shot is deflected away by the silver. Ma'ayan walks as if surrounded by a tidal wave toward Malik who cowards behind the command table.

Varda aims her side weapon at Ma'ayan but does not fire, she just aims. "Fire Varda!" Malik yelled. Varda puts her weapon on the table in front of Malik. "Your Highness, you fire."

By now Ma'ayan is in front of Malik, and Varda Ma'ayan says. "For all we know, you two are the last remaining Dorcons in both Universes."

She places the lifeless body of her father gently on the table. Varda is hiding her trembling in a defiant posture, but Malik stumbles as he walks backward away from Ma'ayan and he says. "You can't do this! I am the Emperor of the all-powerful Dorcons Inter-Galactic Empire!"

"You are Emperor of nothing." Varda asks. "Why you have not killed us?"

"My people are not without justice and justice you both will face, for the murder of quadrillions if not more of sentient beings per each galaxy your lost Empire invaded."

"What about the injustices of your people to my kind before we rebelled from your chains of oppression. The only reason there is a Dorcons Empire it is because of the Psychon wrongdoings to my kind and countless more." Malik said, and Ma'ayan replies. "The judgment and punishment toward my own leave that to me. That it is what my father wanted to do, but he lost his way."

By now the ship is covered with the silver, and it has reshaped it transforming the textures into smooth surfaces, the dark, humid cave appearance has vanished. Now bright colors of white and silver cover all surfaces and the instrumentation has a sleek appearance, and brighter lights come out from the walls, deck, and overhead.

Mentor's body is encased in a transparent cylinder that levitates to the mid-distance of the deck and overhead. Then Malik and Varda look about paying attention to their new surroundings as both cover their eyes by the intense lights. As Ma'ayan works on the controls of the new command tactical table, Malik asks. "You are going back?"

"That question has an obvious answer."

Out of the deck, the silver covers Malik and Varda turning them into living statues of silver. Then Ma'ayan says to herself. "Their conversation was boring."

A three-dimensional image of Alpha's M.C.C is displayed over the table as if Ma'ayan was looking through the holographic sphere at the center of the M.C.C. All in the view turn to look, and John walks closer to the image. "Ma'ayan, where are you?"

"Commander, I have taken control of the Dorcons ship. Now I am preparing to engage its engines and move the Moon toward the gate. This ship generates its own Tachyons, and I will use the E-Collider as a propulsion conduit. Oh, by the way. I am sending to Paul the locations of three Ion Gravity Implosion bombs. They are inactive now, but all of you were really close to having been compressed into an area half the size of a pinhead."

Paul receives the information and replies. "Commander, the bomb targeting Alpha is… here, under the M.C.C."

"Where did you say!?"

"It is under the deck, and it is as big as a shoebox." John looks down well knowing that the floor of the M.C.C is three feet of solid cement and Titanium re-bars. He looks at Ma'ayan and asks. "How they did that?"

"It was Tele-Mat. You might want to dig to get to it. As well as in Tranquility Base and the Dalotek Base, all are inactive and can be retrieved safely."

"Wow. What about us going home?"

"Have all vessels land I will engage the E-Collider in five minutes."

"Are you staying with us?" Ma'ayan takes a big breath as she operates the instruments. She stays silent and Maya walks next to John and asks. "You are staying with us, don't you?"

"I can't. Justice has to be served. After all, I am a cop, no matter what title my people have given me. There are a lot of injustices that cry out to be set right."

John turns to Jackie Crawford and says. "Send a general un-encoded message to all space vehicles to land wherever they are and to all personnel in E.V.A to get indoors. Tell them the Moon is moving in five minutes."

"Yes, Commander."

.

Homecoming.

.

Alan is landing his Eagle as the rest of the task force over the Goddard crater. Colonel Ehrlich calls him over the net. "Alan, I thought the Moon could not jump?"

"I guess the Commander found a way, he always does."

Meanwhile, in the E-Collider base, all the personnel outside is rush into the structure. Tanya and Tony are outside by the main airlock entrance making sure all move in safely. As the last runs in Tanya goes to say. "Tony, the other airlocks report that all are accounted for."

"What about the Dalotek hire guns?"

"All are inside."

"Let's go in and secure this bitch down."

In the mine, Gorski and Natasha are securing all their personnel as the slow-moving transport makes its way in through the tunnel. "Sir all personnel are in, except for the weapon transport it is still in the tunnel."

Gorski's face shows his anger after hearing Natasha report he passes his hand down over his face and then he says. "Have the crews shut down the transport and tell them to dismount, have them come in."

"Yes, sir."

Edward Straker is in the M.C.C of the Dalotek base conversing with John. "All my personnel and vehicles are secure. What exactly Ma'ayan is going to do?"

"Apparently she can move the Moon using the sphere ship. How is she doing that? It is beyond me." Next, to John is Victor looking about through the Holo-sphere the Dalotek M.C.C. Edward smiles noticing the, at awe gaze of the old scientist and Edward says. "Like what you see Doctor Bergman?"

"You also have a super-bio computer!"

"We have all kind of toys here. Ask your Commander. He toured the place once." Victor turns to John. "You never told me."

"It was many years ago. Actually, six months before been selected to the Mars project. I really don't want to talk about it."

Edward says. "Unnerving knowing the truth that now is so self-evident to all of us."

"What is that Mr. Straker?"

"That there is life out there and more unsettling for John was to know of the possibility that life here, began out there."

Victor slowly turns his head to John and asks. "He means Arkadia?" Edward smiles, and he replies. "Similar circumstances but no cigar for you, Doctor." John ignores Victor's question by looking at the time in his Comm-Link. "Ed, it is time."

"Okay, see you at the other side. Dalotek one, out."

The image of Edward is replaced by status data of Alpha base and John moves to Paul's station. Victor follows John, and he asks. "John, what did he meant by life here began out there if he is not referring to Arkadia?"

"He doesn't know. It is something that Edward's father told him a long time ago about some archeological findings, forget that." Then John turns and says. "Paul!"

"Yes, sir."

"Are all the hatches secure and all sailors onboard?"

"Yes sir, we are tighter than a submarine underwater." Maya goes to say. "Commander, the E-Collider main accelerator is active." John says. "Okay people, I don't know how this is going to play so hold on."

Ma'ayan is at the controls of the sphere ship trying to inject Tachyons into the accelerator. Although she is at maximum output on the engines only one-quarter of the energy is being used as propulsion. The rest is sent to the gate through under-space. "This has to work… this has to work… my numbers aren't wrong."

In the holographic image of the ship systems, several components are displayed in red as being overheated. Alarms are heard from Ma'ayan station, and she compensates by re-routing systems.

The Moon commences to accelerate and now what was to happen in 18 days it will happen in a few minutes. The Moon is returning home.

In Alpha's M.C.C all are holding to something as a constant small tremor it is felt. The gravity commences to feel heavy but not to the point to push people and loose objects to the deck. Helena walks into the center and walks straight to her husband that is standing next to Paul's station.

She joins him, and he puts his arm around her as John looks at the information displayed on the Holo-Sphere. "All this shaking reminds me of California." Helena said, and John looks at her, and with a smile he replies. "Soon we will be there, drinking Margaritas on the beach."

"Sir, contact with the gate boundary in one minute." Maya said, and then Sandra says. "Commander, sections 5 through 8 are out of power. Damage response teams have contained small electrical fires."

"Sandra cut the power to the whole base." John said.

"Yes, sir."

Section by section Alpha goes dark as they approach the gate. Then John says in a worried tone. "I hope Alan ordered that too." Helena asks. "Order what?"

"E.M.P procedures or they are going to have a long walk."

The Moon finally enters the gate, and the tremors stop, and an eerie silence takes over. John as all the personnel in the M.C.C look about in silence in the now poorly lit M.C.C.

"John, what just happen?" Helena asked, and John replies. "I don't know." Then John walks slowly toward the window still holding on to his wife and once there both look out.

By now all in the M.C.C are looking through all the windows into a starless darkness. Then Victor says with a worried tone of voice. "John, are we, in-between the Galaxies again, in the void?"

"It does not look like it. We still saw stars and galaxies from the void. This is some other place."

Maya raises her arm pointing out and she says. "Look over there!" All look and the Earth like an apparition slowly materializes with all the stars in the background. John smiles and hits with his open palm the window frame and yells. "We are home! We made it! We are home!"

John and Helena kiss as all in the M.C.C hug and jump about in celebration. John and Helena turn to see the jubilant crowd, and among them they see Paul and Sandra kissing both lost in an embrace. Maya runs to her station and opens a link. "Tony! Tony! Are you there!?"

"Yes baby, I am here so is everyone. Can you see the Earth… the green Earth over the horizon!?"

"Yes… yes… we see it. I love you."

"I love you too baby. I have to take care of business here. I will see you soon… both of you."

"Both?"

"Silly, love of mine. I meant you and the baby. Hey, okay… Ma'ayan too is she still about."

John raises his arms, and with a big smile, he says. "Okay people, we will celebrate a bit more later on. Let's get Alpha up and running we have people that are still out there."

As the systems of the base return to normal, Jackie Crawford looks into his station seen something odd in his displays. He seats down and examines the information been shown by the different screens. He then stands up and yells. "Commander!"

His tone was so urgent that John walks to him in a brisk pace followed by Helena and Victor. "What happen?"

"Sir, look at this. I am receiving commercial broadcasts from Earth. Look over here. This is the transponder signal of the space station network over the Earth. Also Kennedy Spaceport center, Heathrow spaceport, Berlin spaceport all the spaceports are back!?"

An urgent beeping sound comes out from the Comm-station and Jackie reads it, and then he turns to John to say in a stun tone. "Sir is… is, the I.L.O headquarters from New York."

"What?" That is all John said as he bends over the Comm-station. He then erects his body, and John says to Jackie. "Put them through the Holo-Sphere."

"Yes, sir."

The image comes through the Holo-Sphere, and a man seating in the foreground is seen surrounded by other people and in the background the space control center of the International Lunar Organization headquarters in New York.

The Man at the center of the view says. "Commander, the entire Moon vanished for 240 minutes, and you just reappeared out of nowhere."

"Sub-Chairman Simmonds?"

"Named Chairman by the I.L.O council after the death of Chairwoman Margaret Simmons today. Do you know what has happened over here?"

"Sir… what year is it?"

"What?"

"Sir, is this 2099 or not?"

"It is 2099. Are all of you been affected by the contagion and where is Commander Gorski he never made it to Earth?"

"Sir, it is a long story."

One of the men behind Simmonds shows him an E-pad, and he reads it. Then he looks up to ask. "Commander, we can't find the Antares station. What is going on up there and who authorized the activation of the Exodus protocol?"

John passes his hand over his face, and then he says. "Sir you will have a full report in one hour. We are still assessing our situation, Koenig out." John looks down deep in thought, and Helena says. "We are back but not just back, we return to our time."

"From their point of view, we have been gone for 240 minutes, just four hours." Victor goes to say. "What worries me is that other Earth we saw, the green Earth with no signs of humans on it. Just abandon destroyed cities. Is that our future or an alternate future?"

"Let's hope it is an alternate one" John looks about and says. "Okay people, we have to do our jobs. We still have a fleet of Eagles that we have to receive and I am sure there is a fleet of ships coming from Earth here. Let's get ready."

.

The shelter.

.

Twenty four hours have passed since the arrival of the Moon to Earth's orbit. The United Nations Security Council as the I.L.O Council has declared a state of emergency on the Moon. An international coalition of United Nations troops secured Alpha base and the E-Collider base. The I.L.O Chairman, Mr. Simmonds has taken direct control of all operations on the Moon, and he is being briefed in all that has happened since the Moon departed.

John, Victor, Helena, Paul are in the commander's office as Maya is completing her statement to the I.L.O Chairman. Simmonds has been listening intently and going over all the data, video recordings, pictures and all evidence of the Moon's journey. Maya completes her official statement and seats. "Dr. Roberts, you were taken over in a symbiotic relationship with this… alien person named Ma'ayan."

"Yes, sir."

"All of you spend five years traveling in space having full directional and propulsion control over the Moon?" John answers. "Yes sir, the evidence is in front of you."

"Commander Gorski not only leaded terrorists acts here he destroyed the Antares space station?"

John replies once more. "Yes, sir and for what you told us he might be involved in the murder of your predecessor Margaret Simmons to obtain the Exodus authorization codes from Earth with the intent to kill a large portion of Earth's population with his weapon."

"That is what the investigation is leading to." Then Victor asks. "Mr. Simmonds, have you found Gorski?"

"We sent a detachment of coalition soldiers and once they arrived at the mine. Dalotek employees were clearing the cave-in of the mine searching for survivors. If Gorski or the weapon were in there, both are under tons of rock. We secure the Tranquility base and no sign of Gorski there either. If he is alive, he will face justice in the International Court."

"What about us?" John asked. "Well, it is up to the Council but for all that I am concerned, you took command of base Alpha no more than 48 hours ago, relative to Earth's time. So you still have 363 more days as Commander. Of course, you can keep whomever you want as your cadre."

"Thank you, sir."

Simmonds stands up, and as he shakes hands with all present, he says. "The Coalition troops will stay on the Moon for the time been. Techs and scientists from Earth will arrive to examine how the E-Collider allowed you to travel above the speed of light also the different objects you noted on the map and those on storage here as of extraterrestrial origin. Especially the dead alien soldiers. How you call them?"

"The Dorcons sir."

"Ah, them... yes. Dalotek international won a contract to clean all that mess out there." Then John says under his breath. "That does not surprise me."

"You said something Commander?"

"Yes, it is no surprise that Dalotek got the contract. Their Chairman and owner Mr. Straker was with us throughout our ordeal. That would make him an expert."

"Commander that is the only discrepancy I found in all of your reports."

"What is that sir?"

"Mr. Straker was never on the Moon. He was skiing in the Himalayas when the Moon left. I call him myself after seen his name in the reports and he showed me proof of that."

"I don't know what to tell you, sir."

"Well Commander, Alpha base is all yours. Welcome back."

"Thank you, sir."

All say their goodbyes to Simmonds, and he leaves. All look at each other and Victor says. "How Edward pulled that off?"

"I don't know but once our reports are uploaded to the I.L.O computers his name will disappear."

Helena asks. "What now?" John replies. "We have to prepare to receive all the people we evacuated to Earth. But before they arrive, we have to inspect every structure and dwelling on the Moon and after that is business as usual. I am sure you are headed back to the E-Collider program."

Maya replies. "I have to check the entire system and the networks for future tests. Oversee the repairs from the shutout we had with the Dorcons."

Paul says. "I don't know, but I was expecting to arrive on that other Earth, the green one."

"There is a reason why Ma'ayan sent us back here, and I think that outcome of the Moonless green Earth happen by the Earth not having the Moon now. So she not only saved us but all of humankind." John replied.

"Then she did." Then John says. "Okay, let's start to work. We don't get pay by the hour."

All walk to the M.C.C main floor and Victor says. "I have to check out some info in the R & D lab that Ma'ayan left me in a memory stick. See you all later."

All take their own directions. Helena is the only one that stands next to John, and she says. "Am I having a wedding here or on Earth."

"But we are already married."

"Not according to me, I want to wear my mother's wedding dress now that I can get it."

"Okay, okay. Will have the wedding here and the honeymoon in Hawaii."

"Done deal mister Commander, I still have to reopen the rest of the hospital. See you at dinner."

"See you then." John stands with his arms crossed looking into the M.C.C when Alan walks up to him and asks. "How did it go?"

"You know bureaucrats. They want to hear what they already heard 20 more times."

"I am sure you need one to know one."

As Alan walks away, he smiles and John slightly turns toward him still with his arms cross and says. "I was not a bureaucrat when I was a Senator."

Tony and Tanya arrive at the M.C.C, and both walked toward John, and Tony says. "Here are the reports from the mine. Gorski's weapon is destroyed but no sign of him." Then Tanya says. "We are still looking with the help of the U.N. Soldiers."

"What about the Dalotek people?"

"They left."

"I guess they found what they were looking for. Thank you for the report." As Tony and Tanya leave, John walks up to Sandra and asks. "All is operating as it should be?"

"Yes, sir. All systems are operating at optimal capacity."

"Good, keep me posted."

"Yes, sir."

"Kano."

"Yes, sir."

"Are all your inspections done?"

"Yes, sir and all digital systems and the computer are operating at peak efficiency."

"Good, keep me posted."

John turns toward his office and Sandra bends closer to Paul, and she says. "He was acting as he was expecting something to happen."

"It is just a habit of his. I can't get accustomed not having strange aliens ships chasing us or dealing with unknown astronomical phenomena. Heck, a space armada trying to kill us would be nice. We spend all those years out there and boom, we are back to our regular routines."

"Yes, you are right. That green Earth did not look that bad."

"You know that is the same feeling I have. That is so strange."

John is finishing some reports when Victor walks in a hurried pace into the office. "Well… come in, Victor."

"John, you are not going to believe this." Victor handover the memory stick Ma'ayan left with her specs of her suit to John, and he looks at it. "What is in here?"

"I don't know how she did it but is a message from Ma'ayan. She left this stick in the research lab. You have to play it."

John inserts the stick on his desk and plays the recording. Ma'ayan is seen on the bridge of the Dorcons sphere ship that she commandeered, and she begins her message.

"Commander, this memory storage device contains instructions that will help you return to the timeline you saw of the inhabited green Earth, that is your real timeline, but I deposited your Moon in this alternate timeline to protect all of you. This timeline is 100% equal to your timeline for you to acquire supplies to continue your voyage. But there is a caveat to this refuge."

Ma'ayan pauses looking at something above her showing sadness, and then she looks down to continue.

"The dead of the human race in your timeline is due to this very ship. It arrived at your original solar system searching for the secrets of timeline transversal travel that unknowing to you, all of you had. The leader of the Dorcons onboard this ship ordered the release of a bio-agent that in less than 12 hours killed all humans."

Once more she pauses taking a big breath as she handles the controls and continues.

"Then 355 years later you arrived but for reasons that we already know due to the entanglement with the other traveling Moon we were pulled away from the green Earth saving all your lives. The Bio-agent is still active on your original Earth and will remain so for billions of years. This is an ancient military strategy if you can't find your enemy destroyed all his known refuges. The Dorcons leaders on this ship already knew where you were headed and the…" Victor says. "That was our flaw to head home."

"Shhh."

"… Caveat it is that what happened in your timeline will also happen in this timeline and that is what a Psychon infiltrator named Dorzak is possibly waiting for among you. Your journey to find a home it is not over. This refuge is temporary for you to rebuild, resupply and leave."

Again she pauses and then Ma'ayan continues. "Also, I am sure you are been sought out by my people in this timeline and ours this is the other reason I placed all of you here. I do not know how long I will survive in this suit. I might never see you again. I considered all of you as the family I never had. Goodbye."

After the message ends on the screens a set of diagrams concerning the redesigning of the E-Collider as equations are displayed. Victor looks at them as John bends over to see them and Victor says. "Ma'ayan must have Trans-mat the information into the memory stick. She knew where I put it."

"Get Maya on this and stay quiet about it. That was the reason why Ma'ayan gave us this information so secretly. We have a Psychon that he or she can look like any one of us."

"I'll get Maya. But also this alternate timeline people of this Earth can't know either?"

"You are right. They can't know either. I know how this alternate timeline people will take it if we are leaving them without a Moon again and they have troops all over the place. Also, we would need supplies from them to modify the E-Collider for the specs Ma'ayan is showing us here. It is not going to be easy, but we have to."

"Why not stay?"

"She was clear on that. What happened in our timeline will happen here as well. We can't confront the Dorcon sphere ship of this timeline again, it will be suicide. We don't have Ma'ayan, and we don't have Gorski's weapon. Actually, the Dorcons leaders fooled us through the whole engagement with layers of deception. Their goal was on placing those bombs right under our feet. For what Ma'ayan said in the message and with the recordings we have of our depopulated Earth showing contemporary buildings and structures. The Sphere ship will arrive in a few months even in weeks. What we are to do next will be totally different and unexpected from the past. We are not done with our travels."


End file.
